The Italian authorities want to put an end to illegal construction in various parts of the country. In Ostia near Rome, a number of private beaches have been closed in the meantime. In the middle of the season, two of the commercial beach facilities are being demolished - so that public beaches can be opened in their place, which are accessible to everyone and free of charge.
The goal is to increase the current free beach of 1.2 km to 6.5 km. And instead of 70 private beaches in Ostia in the future, there will be only 35, informs ARD.
As elsewhere in Europe, the coast in Italy is state property. And by law it must be accessible to everyone and free of charge. However, more than half of the beaches are rented out, the German public media notes.
Two sun loungers and an umbrella for 40 euros per day
Along the 7,500 km of Italian Mediterranean coastline, there are thousands of private beaches that rent out umbrellas and sun loungers. Their number is estimated at around 7,300, and there may be many more. The majority of them are family businesses.
Currently, the average price for two sun loungers and an umbrella is 40 euros per day, but in some regions of Tuscany it can be much more expensive, writes ARD.
And the land is often rented out not entirely legally and at an extremely low price. The concession costs an average of 8,200 euros per year. And the average annual turnover, calculated by the Center for European Policy, amounts to 260,000 euros. At least.
Fences and walls prevent access
Now the authorities want to prevent only those who pay from being allowed to the sea. Walls and fences have been erected in a number of places, which deter holidaymakers and arouse discontent. That is why in regions such as Liguria and Puglia there are plans to close private beaches.
The new approach of the Italian authorities also stems from an EU directive from 2006, the implementation of which has so far been postponed by Rome. It provides for state concessions for beaches to be periodically renewed, since they are state property. Italy will start in 2027, ARD reports.