From 7.30 to 9.30 on Friday morning, bathers will not be able to find umbrellas and sunbeds on the organized beaches of Italy. Their owners announced a two-hour strike in protest that the licenses for the areas where their infrastructure is located expired at the end of last year and have not yet been renewed.

The Italian government tried to extend the specific licenses, but the Council of State expressed itself in favor of announcing new tenders.

According to forecasts, 80% of the businessmen of the sector in all regions of Italy are going to take part in tomorrow’s mobilization. Consumer associations stressed that citizens who have paid in advance, renting umbrellas and sunbeds, should be compensated with an extra “free” day at the beach.

As many analysts point out, the issue also concerns the relationship between the government of Rome and Brussels. The European Union has repeatedly asked Italy to call for new tenders for the infrastructure located on its beaches, in order to favor free competition. According to information, the Meloni government is trying to find a compromise solution. It is said that he wants to propose to Brussels that the operating licenses of organized beaches be extended until 2030, but only in regions where free beaches exceed 75% of the total.