Regulatory diffusion in Turkey: A cross-sectoral assessment

Abstract

This chapter examines the diffusion and actual operation of regulatory reforms since the 1990s in Turkey, focusing on national regulatory agencies (NRAs) in various sectors. It takes a step further from the mere initiation of regulatory reforms along with de jure institutional design of the NRAs and explores the actual processes through which NRAs function. It, then, finds out a considerable discrepancy between de jure design and de facto operation of the NRAs in terms of independence, accountability, and capacity to enforce; the extent of such discrepancy varies across sectors. The chapter specifically investigates the Competition Authority and NRAs in banking, telecommunications, energy, sugar, tobacco, and alcohol markets. It suggests that the operation of NRAs in practice may create new forms of rents, giving rise to significant distributive consequences. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011.