Jeannot G., Coutard O.
Returning to public service?
La Documentation française, 2015, 150 p.
The movement to open up competition among companies enjoying a monopoly on public network services (electricity, gas, railways, postal services, telecommunications, etc.), which began in the late 1990s, seemed inexorable. The idea of a return to public service might even have seemed unrealistic. However, a few experiments, albeit limited, are now opening up this possibility. In 2012, Paris "re-municipalized" its water supply. In 2014, a parliamentary report considered renationalizing the motorways. These experiences call into question the liberal model that has become established in Europe. What are the mechanics of liberalization? What is the economic impact on consumers? How has society reacted?