Abstract

Regional and local authorities award about half of all the contratcs for the execution of public works. The paper analyses the regulations adopted in the period 2000-2010 by all Italian regions and a sample of provinces and municipalities and shows how highly pervasive they are. In some cases they had positive effects that served the specific needs of the territory; in others, an anti-competitive orientation prevailed, with extra costs for the contracting authorities and less efficient allocation of resources. The paper's policy recommendations include: i) greater coordination of reforms between central and local levels; ii) an enhanced role for the sector authorities; iii) improvements in national regulations to so that the regional and local authorities have less of an interest in modifying them; iv) greater transparency and better information quality.