The search for efficiency in the European gas market.

Summary The first part of the thesis is devoted to the structural analysis of the gas industry. After a characterization of the gas business in the European context, the theoretical tools to determine the natural structure of the gas industries are critically presented. The second part of the thesis examines the restructuring dynamics of the gas industry. On the one hand, the logic of deregulation is analyzed, favoring the liberalization of the gas sector, and on the other hand, the post-deregulation strategies that could be implemented by the actors. It seems that through these strategies, we can move towards a vertical re-integration of gas activities.