Bakers in Rome have announced they may go on strike on Wednesday 26 July in protest over the new liberalization laws introduced by the government at the end of June. The new decree for their sector, aimed at increasing choice for the customer and increasing competitiveness, removes limits on the number of bakeries allowed in a single municipality and on the amount of bread produced. To open a new bakery, it will now be enough to present the municipal authorities with a declaration of intent together with the documentation required for purposes of health and safety. Trade unions are concerned that the new law will mean that high standards are not maintained during the production of the citys 40 different types of bread. Bakers would be the fourth group of professionals to protest against the laws, which have already seen taxi drivers, lawyers and pharmacists staging strikes. If Wednesdays strike does go ahead, fresh bread will still be available outside the city, however, since bakers in the rest of the Lazio region have decided not to participate.