Beach drama in Italy: How EU rules are fueling the umbrella dispute

Italy's beaches - a paradise for holidaymakers and a lucrative business for operators. But now a storm is threatening the idyll. An EU directive could unhinge the traditional beach business. The operators are sounding the alarm because they believe their existence is at risk.

Old tradition meets new EU requirements

Edoardo Moscara and his family have been running a lido in Ostia, a popular seaside resort near Rome, for three generations. Every morning, they set up the parasols and provide hundreds of sun loungers. But this daily routine is on the brink of collapse. The reason for this is an EU directive that obliges Italy to put the concessions for lidos out to tender internationally.

In the past, these concessions were usually simply extended - often for a few euros. Now, however, the operators have to assert themselves in open competition. Moscara and many others who have invested in their beach sections for decades fear that they will not be able to compete against large hotel chains or financially strong companies. Losing the concession could mean the end for many traditional lidos.

The business of sun, beach and sea

Italian beach resorts are a billion-euro business. Tourists often pay 30 euros a day for a pair of sun loungers and a parasol. The industry generates up to 30 billion euros a year. The majority of beaches, such as in Ostia, are commercially operated. Freely accessible stretches of beach are becoming a rarity.

This commercialization is also attracting the attention of environmentalists. Sebastiano Venneri from Legambiente criticizes the fact that more and more beach areas are being taken up by private operators. In his opinion, at least 50 percent of beaches should be freely accessible to the general public. He sees the current practice of automatically renewing concessions as the reason for the massive proliferation of lidos. However, he sees the upcoming new EU regulation as an opportunity to make beaches more public again.

The uncertain future of lidos

While environmentalists are hoping for more public beaches, operators are fighting for their livelihoods. There is a great deal of uncertainty, as it is still unclear what the new rules for awarding concessions will look like. Although Italy has had to implement the EU directive for almost 20 years, there are still no concrete guidelines.

For Edoardo Moscara and his colleagues, this uncertainty means sleepless nights. Until the new rules are known, they do not know whether it is worth continuing to operate their lido. If the government does not act soon, last Friday's brief protest could be just the beginning. The beach operators are already planning another strike action on August 19 - this time it is set to last longer.

While the sun shines on Italy's beaches, the future of lidos remains in the dark. Whether the operators will be able to defy the impending changes or whether they will have to give way to competition will soon become clear. One thing is certain: the battle for the coast has only just begun.