6,500 Italian beach establishments closed umbrellas for 2 hours in protest against delayed EU directive increasing competition.
Italian beach establishments, which generate €1.4 billion ($1.5bn) in revenue annually, closed their umbrellas for a symbolic two-hour strike to protest against the long-delayed implementation of a European Union (EU) directive that aims to increase competition within the sector. The strike involved around 6,500 beach establishments. Critics argue that the directive, initially introduced in 2006, has been postponed by Italian governments. The beach establishments, often passed down through generations, fear losing their investments if a bidding process is introduced, while others claim they are being blocked from entering the lucrative market. The sector has yet to be fully liberalized, with a court ruling extending the licenses until the end of this year. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government is under pressure to address the issue.