<s>[INST] The next text is a question of a member of the European parliament:"In Italy public utility services are still subject to monopoly conditions and this is one of the main factors in maintaining high prices for households and businesses, producing adverse effects on competition and preventing the emergence of atruly competitive economic system.  The price increases being introduced in 2001 are considerable (gas + 3,7 %, water + 0,5 %, motorways + 1,79 %, railways + 5,2 %, RAI fees are to increase by ITL 3 000, Telecom + 140 % for households and + 9,3 % for businesses, and an increase in certain postal charges).  Behind this state of affairs lies the failure of privatisation policies, which have left control of blocks of shares in the hands of the Treasury, as in the case of ENEL, together with the fact that special conditions giving an advantage over competitors have been transferred into private hands, as in the case of Telecom.    The Commission:      1.  Can it provide comparative studies of the countries of the EU as regards privatisation and public utility service costs?      2.  Does it not consider that privatisation policy should not simply involve transfers from the public to the private sector, but should seek to create genuine liberalisation and maximum competition, to the benefit of users in terms of the cost and quality of services?      3.  Does it not consider that afirm commitment is required in Italy and throughout the European Union in the public services sector in order to combat both public and private monopolies?"
Analyze carefully the text and assign it to the most relevant policy area among those listed below. Do not explain your answer and return only a number.
Policy area numbers: 1 = Macroeconomics
2 = Civil Rights, Minority Issues and Civil Liberties
3 = Health
4 = Agriculture and Fisheries
5 = Labour, employment and pensions
6 = Education
7 = Environment
8 = Energy
9 = Immigration
10 = Transportation
12 = Law and Crime
13 = Social welfare
14 = Regional and Urban issues and Planning
15 = Banking, finance and domestic commerce issues
16 = Defence
17 = Space, science, technology, and communications issues
18 = Foreign trade
19 = International affairs and foreign aid
20 = Governance and government
21 = Public Lands, Water Management and Territorial Issues
23 = Culture and media
[/INST]. Answer = [15]. </s>
In Italy public utility services are still subject to monopoly conditions and this is one of the main factors in maintaining high prices for households and businesses, producing adverse effects on competition and preventing the emergence of atruly competitive economic system.  The price increases being introduced in 2001 are considerable (gas + 3,7 %, water + 0,5 %, motorways + 1,79 %, railways + 5,2 %, RAI fees are to increase by ITL 3 000, Telecom + 140 % for households and + 9,3 % for businesses, and an increase in certain postal charges).  Behind this state of affairs lies the failure of privatisation policies, which have left control of blocks of shares in the hands of the Treasury, as in the case of ENEL, together with the fact that special conditions giving an advantage over competitors have been transferred into private hands, as in the case of Telecom.    The Commission:      1.  Can it provide comparative studies of the countries of the EU as regards privatisation and public utility service costs?      2.  Does it not consider that privatisation policy should not simply involve transfers from the public to the private sector, but should seek to create genuine liberalisation and maximum competition, to the benefit of users in terms of the cost and quality of services?      3.  Does it not consider that afirm commitment is required in Italy and throughout the European Union in the public services sector in order to combat both public and private monopolies?