After Minister Urso’s statements, Italy is questioning the effectiveness of the Government’s new measures to overcome the increase in fuel costs.
What are mobile excise duties
Mobile excise duties are an automatic system designed to mitigate the consequences of the increase in the cost of oil without directly affecting public finances. A mechanism that has its roots in 2008, when the Prodi Government approved it. Three years ago, it was changed. What is it about? When the price of crude oil increases, VAT revenue also increases, as the tax is calculated on a higher price; Part of this revenue is used to temporarily reduce excise duties, thus lightening the final price paid by users.
The position of Codacons
The blow to Italians’ summer departures is becoming increasingly severe, to the point that a full tank of diesel costs over 15 euros more than at the beginning of July, making a possible cut in excise duties of 7 or 8 euro cents per liter under consideration by the government completely insufficient. This was stated by Codacons, which provides data on the effects of the tax discount on citizens’ pockets. Since 3 July, the date on which the last cut in excise duties expired, the average price of diesel has risen by 30.2 euro cents on the ordinary network, with a surge of +16%, and by 28.7 cents on the motorway, while petrol has increased in price by 17.8 cents. Increases that lead to a full tank of diesel costing 15.1 euros more than last July 3 (+15.35 euros on the motorway), while a full tank of petrol costs 8.9 euros more, calculates Codacons. Numbers that make a possible cut in excise duties to 8 euro cents per liter completely inadequate: also considering the VAT that weighs on fuel, such a discount would produce a saving on filling up of just 4.88 euros and, considering today’s prices at the pump, would lead to diesel fuel costing 2.086 euros per liter on the ordinary network (2.157 euros/litre on the motorway), while petrol would drop to 1.88 euros per litre. liter – calculates Codacons – A discount on excise duties which, in order to bring the average price of diesel fuel below 2 euros per liter today, could not be less than 16 euro cents, concludes the association.