For nearly 20 years, the European Commission and Italy have been locked in a legal battle over the country’s beach concession practices, with the EU accusing Italy of breaching competition rules and lacking transparency. This conflict, which has seen resistance from various Italian governments, is set to reach a turning point as Italy faces a deadline to comply with EU directives by early 2025.
The European Commission has long criticized Italy’s approach to beach concessions, which has allowed existing operators to renew their agreements indefinitely, stifling competition. Despite EU calls for competitive tendering, Italian administrations—whether left- or right-leaning—have consistently resisted these reforms. The most recent extension, granted by the far-right government of Giorgia Meloni, extends current concessions until the end of this year, leaving Rome with no further options to avoid compliance.
Susanna Barbadoro, representing the third generation of beach concession owners in Ostia, expressed frustration over the uncertainty of the transition. “We are in a phase of total uncertainty and we want our rights to be preserved,” she said. The beach concession system has been criticized for fostering a monopolistic environment, with family-owned businesses maintaining control over prime locations along Italy’s coast.
The cost of beach access varies significantly across Italy. At basic establishments, renting two chaise lounges and an umbrella for the day can cost €25, while luxury resorts in places like Capri or Salento can charge several hundred euros. Beach operators argue that they have invested heavily in maintaining and upgrading their facilities and are seeking compensation or pre-emption rights in future tenders.
Economists, however, argue that these operators have long benefited from their privileged status, contributing only a small portion of their revenues to the state. According to the Italian Court of Auditors, from 2016 to 2020, the state received around €97 million annually from 12,166 beach concessions. With average revenues of €260,000 per concession, operators have paid an average of only €7,600 annually.
Pietro Paganini, an economist, argues that competition would benefit everyone, particularly since these concessions are on public land. “Italian governments have protected these owners for years due to their significant voting bloc,” he said.
In a final attempt to justify its non-compliance with the 2006 Bolkestein directive, which aims to boost competition, the Meloni government presented a mapping report to Brussels. The report claimed that 33% of the Italian coastline is under concession, arguing there is no need for competitive tenders. However, EU officials noted that the mapping included unsuitable areas like rocky shores, which do not meet the criteria for concessions.
The association “Mare Libero” (Free Sea), which has advocated for free beach access since 2019, hopes the new bidding rules will ensure sufficient public access. Roberto del Bove, coordinator for the central Lazio region, called for the state to guarantee at least 50% of beaches remain free to the public, with the remainder available for concession.
