Greece cuts protection measures

Greece launched on Monday deep reforms of 136 service occupations from
bread making to butchering to end restrictive practices as the cabinet
met on new measures to fight a second debt crisis. The European Union
and International Monetary Fund have made the application of such
measures a condition of the release in March of the fourth slice of
rescue loans, in this case 15 billion euros ($ 21.1 billion). A broad
law to remove restrictive practices was passed three months ago, and
on Monday the finance ministry published a list of 136 professions and
independent service activities which will no longer be protected by
rafts of conditions, such as quotas and geographical limits. The
activities concerned range from music teaching to beauty care, from
money changing, bread making and insurance broking to interpreting,
electrician services and operating butchers' shops. Physiologists are
also on the list, which was described as a guideline. Press reports in
Athens say every ministry has dragged its feet in preparing lists and
measures to enact following the enactment of the deregulation law in
February. The reports say the delay on service occupations has greatly
irritated auditors from the International Monetary Fund, European
Union and European Central Bank. They are here for a regular analysis
of how Greece is enacting reforms promised in return for a rescue
package of 110 billion euros last May which enabled the country to
avert bankrupty.
---------------Newage