Italy has signed a deal to collaborate with Switzerland on the energy
sector, focusing on natural gas, as the Mediterranean country boosts international
links aimed at strengthening its security of supply and lowering fuel costs.
Italian Industry Minister Corrado Passera signed the memorandum of intent with
Swiss Energy, Environment and Transport Minister Doris Leuthard in
Bern
, the
industry ministry said Monday in a news release.
The memorandum will allow for a better coordination of the gas flows between
the two countries through the 292 kilometer-long Transitgas pipeline that links
the two countries.
"This way we are favoring competition between different operators that may
use the gas pipeline, helping the alignment of [more expensive] Italian prices
with those [cheaper] of central
Europe
,"
the ministry said in the statement.
The two ministers also signed a memorandum on rail transport between the two
counties. cents to $51.21 premarket.