IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ulb/ulbeco/2013-272561.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Do economic regulatory agencies matter to private-sector involvement in water utilities in developing countries?

Author

Listed:
  • Salvador Bertomeu
  • Daniel Camos
  • Antonio Estache

Abstract

This paper suggests that, for developing countries, the creation of economic regulatory agencies, separate from the ministry in charge of water and sanitation, may not be a necessary or sufficient condition to stimulate large scale private involvement (PPPs) in the sector. The odds of an impact are higher for Latin American countries than other regions and for countries with higher income levels. They are also better when inflation is high. At the margin, the odds are unrelated to the contract type, except for greenfield projects, for which they may be contraindicated.

Suggested Citation

  • Salvador Bertomeu & Daniel Camos & Antonio Estache, 2018. "Do economic regulatory agencies matter to private-sector involvement in water utilities in developing countries?," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/272561, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    • Handle: RePEc:ulb:ulbeco:2013/272561
    Note: SCOPUS: ar.j
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    To our knowledge, this item is not available for download. To find whether it is available, there are three options:
    1. Check below whether another version of this item is available online.
    2. Check on the provider's web page whether it is in fact available.
    3. Perform a search for a similarly titled item that would be available.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Carvalho, Pedro & Marques, Rui Cunha & Berg, Sanford, 2012. "A meta-regression analysis of benchmarking studies on water utilities market structure," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 40-49.
    2. Katharina Gassner & Alexander Popov & Nataliya Pushak, 2009. "Does Private Sector Participation Improve Performance in Electricity and Water Distribution?," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6605.
    3. Jacint Jordana & David Levi-Faur (ed.), 2004. "The Politics of Regulation," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 3167.
    4. Gassner, Katharina & Pushak, Nataliya, 2014. "30 years of British utility regulation: Developing country experience and outlook," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 44-51.
    5. Jensen, Olivia & Wu, Xun, 2017. "The hybrid model for economic regulation of water utilities: Mission impossible?," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 122-131.
    6. Fabrizio Gilardi & Martino Maggetti, 2011. "The Independence of Regulatory Authorities," Chapters, in: David Levi-Faur (ed.), Handbook on the Politics of Regulation, chapter 14, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Chisari, Omar & Estache, Antonio & Romero, Carlos, 1997. "Winners and losers from utility privatization in Argentina : lessons from a general equilibrium model," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1824, The World Bank.
    8. Bel Germà & Fageda Xavier & E. Mildred, 2014. "Is private production of public services cheaper than public production? A meta-regression analysis of solid waste and water services," Public administration issues, Higher School of Economics, issue 3, pages 103-140.
    9. Luis A. Andrés & José Luis Guasch & Stephane Straub, 2009. "Does Regulation and Institutional Design Matter for Infrastructure Sector Performance?," International Economic Association Series, in: János Kornai & László Mátyás & Gérard Roland (ed.), Corruption, Development and Institutional Design, chapter 11, pages 203-234, Palgrave Macmillan.
    10. J. Luis Guasch & Jean-Jacques Laffont & Stéphane Straub, 2007. "Concessions of infrastructure in Latin America: Government-led renegotiation," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(7), pages 1267-1294.
    11. Emmanuelle Auriol & Pierre M. Picard, 2008. "Infrastructure and Public Utilities Privatization in Developing Countries," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 23(1), pages 77-100, November.
    12. World Bank, 2006. "Approaches to Private Participation in Water Services : A Toolkit," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6982.
    13. Majone, Giandomenico, 1997. "From the Positive to the Regulatory State: Causes and Consequences of Changes in the Mode of Governance," Journal of Public Policy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(2), pages 139-167, May.
    14. Gerlach, Esther & Franceys, Richard, 2010. "Regulating Water Services for All in Developing Economies," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(9), pages 1229-1240, September.
    15. Martimort, David & Straub, Stéphane, 2009. "Infrastructure privatization and changes in corruption patterns: The roots of public discontent," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 69-84, September.
    16. F. Trillas & M.A. Montoya, 2011. "Commitment and Regulatory Independence in Practice in Latin American and Caribbean Countries," Competition and Regulation in Network Industries, Intersentia, vol. 12(1), pages 27-57, March.
    17. Stern, Jon & Cubbin, John, 2005. "Regulatory effectiveness : the impact of regulation and regulatory governance arrangements on electricity industry outcomes," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3536, The World Bank.
    18. Luis A. Andrés & Jordan Schwartz & J. Luis Guasch, 2013. "Uncovering the Drivers of Utility Performance : Lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean on the Role of the Private Sector, Regulation, and Governance in the Power, Water, and Telecommunication Se," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 15774.
    19. Antonio Estache & Robert Baldwin & Martin Cave & Martin Lodge, 2010. "Regulation in Developing Economics: A survey of theory and evidence," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/44019, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    20. Farid Gasmi & Paul Noumba Um & Laura Recuero Virto, 2009. "Political Accountability and Regulatory Performance in Infrastructure Industries: An Empirical Analysis," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 23(3), pages 509-531, October.
    21. Estache, Antonio & Goicoechea, Ana & Trujillo, Lourdes, 2009. "Utilities reforms and corruption in developing countries," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 191-202, June.
    22. Carlo Cambini & Laura Rondi, 2010. "Incentive regulation and investment: evidence from European energy utilities," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 1-26, August.
    23. Gutierrez, Luis Hernando, 2003. "The Effect of Endogenous Regulation on Telecommunications Expansion and Efficiency in Latin America," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 257-286, May.
    24. Guasch, J. Luis & Laffont, Jean-Jacques & Straub, Stéphane, 2008. "Renegotiation of concession contracts in Latin America: Evidence from the water and transport sectors," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 421-442, March.
    25. repec:reg:rpubli:194 is not listed on IDEAS
    26. Carlo Cambini & Laura Rondi, 2017. "Independent Agencies, Political Interference, And Firm Investment: Evidence From The European Union," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 55(1), pages 281-304, January.
    27. Antonio Estache & D. Martimort, 2000. "Transaction costs, politics, regulatory institutions and regulatory outcomes," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/44072, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    28. Chisari, Omar & Estache, Antonio & Romero, Carlos, 1999. "Winners and Losers from the Privatization and Regulation of Utilities: Lessons from a General Equilibrium Model of Argentina," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 13(2), pages 357-378, May.
    29. Mande Buafua, Patrick, 2015. "Efficiency of urban water supply in Sub-Saharan Africa: Do organization and regulation matter?," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 13-22.
    30. Laffont,Jean-Jacques, 2005. "Regulation and Development," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521549486, November.
    31. repec:cup:cbooks:9780521840187 is not listed on IDEAS
    32. Alexander, Ian, 2014. "Developing countries experience and outlook: Getting the framework right," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 184-187.
    33. Carvalho, Anne Emília Costa & Sampaio, Luciano Menezes Bezerra, 2015. "Paths to universalize water and sewage services in Brazil: The role of regulatory authorities in promoting efficient service," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 1-10.
    34. Cubbin, John & Stern, John, 2005. "Regulatory effectiveness and the empirical impact of variations in regulatory governance - electricity industry capacity and efficiency in developing countries," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3535, The World Bank.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Salvador Bertomeu, 2019. "On the effects of the financialization of private utilities: lessons from the UK water sector," Working Papers ECARES 2019-29, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    2. Surachman, Eko Nur & Perwitasari, Sevi Wening & Suhendra, Maman, 2022. "Stakeholder management mapping to improve public-private partnership success in emerging country water projects: Indonesia’s experience," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. Claude Ménard & Gaetano Martino & Gustavo Magalhães de Oliveira & Annie Royer & Maria Sylvia Macchione Saes & Paula Sarita Bigio Schnaider, 2022. "Governing food safety through meso‐institutions: A cross‐country analysis of the dairy sector," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(4), pages 1722-1741, December.
    4. Aquila, Giancarlo & de Oliveira Pamplona, Edson & Ferreira Filho, José Alberto & da Silva, Antônio Sergio & de Azevedo Mataveli, João Victor & Correa, João Ederson & de Maria, Mateus Sanches & Garcia,, 2019. "Quantitative regulatory impact analysis: Experience of regulatory agencies in Brazil," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 1-1.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Antonio Estache & Liam Wren-Lewis, 2009. "Toward a Theory of Regulation for Developing Countries: Following Jean-Jacques Laffont's Lead," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 47(3), pages 729-770, September.
    2. Jensen, Olivia & Wu, Xun, 2017. "The hybrid model for economic regulation of water utilities: Mission impossible?," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 122-131.
    3. Salvador Bertomeu & Daniel Camos-Daurella & Antonio Estache, 2017. "Do Private Water Utilities Operators Care about Regulatory Agencies in Developing Countries ?," Working Papers ECARES ECARES 2017-18, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    4. Emmanuelle Auriol & Stéphane Straub, 2011. "Privatization of Rent-Generating Industries and Corruption," Chapters, in: Susan Rose-Ackerman & Tina Søreide (ed.), International Handbook on the Economics of Corruption, Volume Two, chapter 7, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Gasmi, Farid & Berté, Isacco & Demoury, Louise & Kouakou, Dorgyles & Patzig, Niklas & Recuero Virto, Laura, 2024. "The privatization-corruption relationship is nonlinear: Evidence from 1985-2022 data on telecommunications in 103 countries," TSE Working Papers 24-1523, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    6. Martimort, David & Straub, Stéphane, 2009. "Infrastructure privatization and changes in corruption patterns: The roots of public discontent," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 69-84, September.
    7. Antonio Estache & Caroline Philippe, 2016. "What if the TTIP changed the regulation of public services? Lessons for Europe from developing countries," Reflets et perspectives de la vie économique, De Boeck Université, vol. 0(3), pages 59-73.
    8. Guasch, J. Luis & Straub, Stphane, 2009. "Corruption and concession renegotiations.: Evidence from the water and transport sectors in Latin America," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 185-190, June.
    9. Francesc Trillas & Miguel A. Montoya, 2011. "The Liberalization of Infrastructures in Latin America," Chapters, in: Matthias Finger & Rolf W. Künneke (ed.), International Handbook of Network Industries, chapter 22, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    10. Izak Atiyas, 2012. "Enhancing Competition in A Post-Revolutionary Arab Context: Does the Turkish Experience Provide any Lessons?," Working Papers 743, Economic Research Forum, revised Dec 2012.
    11. Bernardo Bortolotti & Carlo Cambini & Laura Rondi, 2011. "Regulatory Independence, Ownership and Firm Value: The Role of Political Institutions," RSCAS Working Papers 2011/43, European University Institute.
    12. Heims, Eva M. & Lodge, Martin, 2018. "Customer engagement in UK water regulation: towards a collaborative regulatory state?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 87258, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    13. Estache, Antonio & Wren-Lewis, Liam, 2010. "What Anti-Corruption Policy Can Learn from Theories of Sector Regulation," CEPR Discussion Papers 8082, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    14. Laura Abrardi & Cambini Carlo & Rondi Laura, 2018. "The Impact of Regulation on Utilities’ Investments: A Survey and New Evidence from the Energy Industry," De Economist, Springer, vol. 166(1), pages 41-62, March.
    15. Recuero Virto, Laura & Gasmi, Farid & Noumba Um, Paul, 2009. "The role of institutional design in the conduct of infrastructure industries reforms - An illustration through telecommunications in developing countries," MPRA Paper 12881, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Carlo Cambini & Laura Rondi, 2011. "Independence, Investment and Political Interference: Evidence from the European Union," RSCAS Working Papers 2011/42, European University Institute.
    17. Andrés Pavón Mediano, 2020. "Agencies’ formal independence and credible commitment in the Latin American regulatory state: A comparative analysis of 8 countries and 13 sectors," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 14(1), pages 102-120, January.
    18. Philippe Marin, 2009. "Public-Private Partnerships for Urban Water Utilities : A Review of Experiences in Developing Countries," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2703.
    19. Işık D. Özel & Aslı Unan, 2021. "Decoupling trends: Drivers of agency independence in telecommunications: An analysis of high and middle‐income countries," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(1), pages 32-62, January.
    20. Recuero Virto, Laura & Gasmi, Farid & Noumba Um, Paul, 2008. "The Role of Institutional Design in the Conduct of Infrastructure Industry Reforms - An Illustration through Telecommunications in Developing Countries," MPRA Paper 28253, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2008.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Privatization; Public-private partnerships; Regulation; Regulatory agencies; Water utilities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L33 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Comparison of Public and Private Enterprise and Nonprofit Institutions; Privatization; Contracting Out
    • L38 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Public Policy
    • L43 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Legal Monopolies and Regulation or Deregulation
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • L95 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Gas Utilities; Pipelines; Water Utilities
    • L97 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Utilities: General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ulb:ulbeco:2013/272561. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Benoit Pauwels (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ecsulbe.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.