The issue of electricity reform has been on the agenda in Europe for a decade and remains a high priority for policymakers looking to the future. However, the performances of new electricity markets are still not clear and arouse significant controversy. This book focuses on the diversity of electricity reforms in Western Europe, drawing evidence from ten European Union memberstates plus Norway and Switzerland as associate members. The contributors analyse the various ways of introducing competition in the European electricity industries, and consider both the strategies of electricity companies and their behaviour in electricity marketplaces. They also offer an explanation of the differences of reforms by the institutions and the industrial structures of each country which shape the types of marketrules, industrial restructuring and public service regulations which have been adopted. As a whole, this volume will attract scholars, PhD and post-graduate students, notably those interested in energy economics, comparative institutional economics and applied industrial economics. European and non-European energy companies or regulatory authorities looking for an independent and analytical overview of European electricity markets will also find this book of great interest.

This book fills a gap in the existing literature by dealing with several issues linked to long-term contracts and the efficiency of electricity markets. These include the impact of long-term contracts and vertical integration on effective competition, generation investment in risky markets, and the challenges for competition policy principles. On the one hand, long-term contracts may contribute to lasting generation capability by allowing for a more efficient allocation of risk. On the other hand, they can create conditions for imperfect competition and thus impair short-term efficiency. The contributors - prominent academics and policy experts with inter-disciplinary perspectives - develop fresh theoretical and practical insights on this important concern for current electricity markets. This highly accessible book will strongly appeal to both academic and professional audiences including scholars of industrial, organizational and public sector economics, and competition and antitrust law. It will also be of value to regulatory and antitrust authorities, governmental policymakers, and consultants in electricity law and economics. Contributors: J. Boucher, G. Brunekreeft, D. Finon, J.-M. Glachant, L. Hancher, A. de Hauteclocque, P. Longva, F. Marty, R. Meade, G. Meunier, M. Mulder, S. O'Connor, J. Pillot, F.A. Roques, Y. Smeers

A unique and thorough investigation of the shift towards Europe-wide energy regulation, markets and business strategies, and the extent to which energy systems have become more liberalised over this period.
"Reshaping of European Gas and Electricity Industries" analyses the key issues facing the European energy industry, from a regulatory, market, and business perspective. Current challenges within the field are also reviewed, including competitive and environmental issues.
* Liberalization: Delivers timely insights into the changes facing the European energy industry in the face of deregulation.
* Competition: A direct look at business and marketing strategies in response to the influx of competition from across the globe.
* Environment: Provides powerful [insights] into the way environmentally-based legislation has now become a key driver of the energy industry in Europe