Bill set to open up closed-shop professions
The Cabinet will today approve a bill for the liberalization of six closed-shop professions, including pharmacists, in line with the requirements of the memorandum Greece has signed with its international creditors. The other professions to be opened up are notaries, lawyers, architects, certified accountants and civil engineers. The bill, which lifts restrictions to entering the professions and to minimum payment, is certain to cause an uproar among those affected with lawyer associations already preparing to take industrial action. Lawyers are protesting the abolition of minimum payment in particular. The memorandum further provides for the opening up of many more such professions, such as estate agents, bakers, hairdressers, press distributors, electricians, taxi owners, opticians and others. This will have to be implemented within the next three to six months.
