On territorial continuity obligations on air and sea transport for citizens and residents of Sicily  

The petitioner writes to protest at what would seem to be a breach, by the Italian State, of the requirement to ensure the territorial continuity of transport services for Sicilian citizens and residents. He argues that public and private transport companies providing air and sea links between Sicily and the other Italian regions are acting monopolistically and oligopolistically. According to the petitioner, this has made the services offered inadequate in terms of timetabling and frequency, as well as excessively expensive, and this is causing serious social and economic hardship for citizens of Sicily. The petitioner cites EU legislation on the provision of air services, which allows for the possibility of Member States imposing public service obligations in respect of peripheral regions, as well as EU state aid rules on public service compensation.