Stampa

ACQUEDOTTO PUGLIESE


PRESS RELEASE



PRESS RELEASE

ACQUEDOTTO PUGLIESE: ANTITRUST AUTHORITY ACCEPTS AND RENDERS BINDING COMMITMENTS ON CONNECTIONS TO WATER AND SEWER MAINS

 
AQP's former monopoly on connections to water and sewer mains to be liberalized. Obligatory up-front charge for connection eliminated and payment by instalment made possible. Investigation closed without a fine and without proof of violation.

The Italian Competition Authority, at its meeting on 30 October 2008, accepted and rendered binding the commitments proposed by Acquedotto Pugliese during an investigation begun on 8 November 2007 into the possible abuse of a dominant position in the provision of fresh water and the management of waste water. The investigation was thus concluded without officially ascertaining a violation and without levying a fine.
These commitments mean that shortly, and in any case by the end of 2008, AQP will change its charging policy for public services so as to leave open the possibility for interested users to arrange their own connections to the water or sewerage systems and not be obliged to use AQP's services for the purpose. This effectively liberalizes the works for individual connections within the ATO Puglia (Ambito Territoriale Ottimale, or water district of Puglia) that AQP had included amongst its monopoly activities. It remains AQP's responsibility to check and test installations made by other firms: the charge for this activity must bear a strict relationship to the actual costs incurred so as to avoid this charge being used by AQP to discourage users from having connections made by third parties.
AQP has given a further series of undertakings that will be of benefit to users: from 1 January 2009 pre-payment of charges relating to water contracts will no longer be obligatory, it will be possible to pay the whole connection charge in instalments and the 15% surcharge for “expenses incurred” will be eliminated. The Antitrust Authority deems these measures sufficient to resolve the excessively burdensome contractual conditions that originally gave rise to the investigation. Finally, AQP will implement as quickly as possible an online system for contract management and will set up a network of computerized assistance points to ensure users have better access to the company's services.


Rome, 18 November 2008