Current challenges in the regulation of utilities in Belgium

This contribution to the Re-thinking of Belgium attempts to share our position on the current and future regulation of utilities in our country. We deliberately opt not to offer an exhaustive list of regulatory challenges based on thorough economic analysis. Our main goal is to participate in a welcomed open reform debate. The main messages are that we need (i) more stable and thought- through policy visions resulting from sound economics, clearer roles for all actors involved, more coordination between regulators and (ii) less dependent regulators, less regulatory creep and fewer unnecessary low-powered incentive schemes.