Taxi drivers have called off wildcat strikes over the governments new law that will liberalise the issuing of taxi licences. Rome and other major cities in Italy had suffered for four days from the suspension of taxi services, with people left stranded at airports and streets blocked by impromptu demonstrations. But the official taxi strike scheduled for 11 July is due to go ahead if no satisfactory agreement between the drivers and the government is reached beforehand. Representatives of taxi drivers and the minister for economic development, Pierluigi Bersani, were set to meet on 7 July, but prime minister Romano Prodi has stated that the reform will not be withdrawn.

Opposition to the package of liberalization laws continues, however. On 6 July, lawyers announced they would strike for 12 days over the decree abolishing the minimum fee for their services.