Class Economic Regulation

This curricular unit aims to teach concepts about economic regulation, concentration of power and the need for regulation by the competent entities, in the different sectors of economic activity. It is intended to provide students with a critical spirit in relation to the need for regulation and to work on the capacity for analysis and reasoned discussion on these issues. 

1. Introduction
1.1. Competition policy and regulation
1.2. The need to regulate
1.3. The importance of competition policy
2. Economic regulation
2.1. Definition of economic regulation
2.2. Regulation theories
2.3. Regulation forms and models
2.4. The regulatory process
3. Regulation of natural monopolies
3.1. Characterization of natural monopolies
3.2. Price determination
3.3. Sustainability of natural monopolies and contestability
3.4. Evolution of the regulation of natural monopolies
4. The various regulated sectors
5. Regulation in the air transport sector 
 

Analysis and discussion of scientific papersm presented by students, in order to initiate student in future research.

W. Kip Viscusi, Joseph E. Harrington AND JOHN M. VERNON (2005). Economics of Regulation and Antitrust, 4th Edition.

J. Tirole (1988). The Theory of Industrial Organization, Cambridge MA: MIT Press.