Some Italian beach clubs staged what
they called a "kind" sun umbrella strike Friday by holding off
on raising their parasols from opening time at seven thirty to
nine thirty in a protest against moves under EU pressure to open
up the sector to greater competition.
Maurizio Rustignoli, president of sector union Fiba
Confesercenti, said there had been "a great adhesion, above
expectations, to the awareness-raising moment wanted and
organised today by Fiba Confesercenti and Sib Confcommercio."
He said that "the most important bathing basins in Italy, such
as Romagna and Tuscany, saw an almost total participation, and
over 80% of bathing beach operators kept their umbrella service
closed throughout the country."
Consumer group Codacons spoke of a "flop with adhesions below
expectations and organisations totally divided on the lockout."
Brussels wants Rome to assign bathing establishment concessions
by tender under the terms of the Bolkestein Directive requiring
EU countries to ensure fair competition and transparency in
order to avoid any kind of discriminatory practices that could
undermine the single market principle, a move that Italy has so
far resisted.
Rome is risking a European Commission infringement procedure on
the issue.
In the event of continued non-compliance the EC may launch
full-blown legal proceedings before the European Court of
Justice.
The issue, one of the most sensitive between the EU and Rome, is
approaching closure after the rightwing government of Premier
Giorgia Meloni failed to block the bidding of beach concessions
after the recent last extension to the end of this year.
Meloni has failed to block the EU-mandated tenders for the
concessions despite electoral promises made when she swept to
landslide victory at the head of a rightwing coalition in autumn
2022.
Despite opposition from current operators of beach
establishments, concession activities, and state-owned areas,
with a 15-year delay, the auctions will finally be held in 2025.
The saga seems to be heading toward an end because the Italian
government has run out of tools to justify to Brussels the
continued extraordinary delay in the expiration of concessions.
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