The deadline, August 24, for the cut in excise duties for diesel is approaching and a price shock is materializing in the first counter-exodus after the mid-August holiday. An intervention to control the price is a high cost for the government, but the proposal of six EU countries, including Italy, for a tax on extra profits at community level for oil companies, whose profits are skyrocketing, emerges. Greater revenue which could then be used for measures in favor of consumers and businesses struggling with high energy prices. The finance ministers of Germany, Italy, Austria, Poland and Portugal, together with the Spanish economy minister, would send the joint letter to the finance minister of Ireland, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU. Ministers have urged that the issue of a tax be placed on the agenda of a meeting of the bloc’s finance ministers in Dublin next month. The deputy group leader of the Brothers of Italy in the Chamber of Deputies, Augusta Montaruli, claims that «the Meloni government is in the front row to support Italians on this front too. Now Europe listens to us.” The cost of fuel, moreover, is galloping with new records in petrol and diesel prices. And unless there are sudden calls, a council of ministers to launch new measures does not appear to be on the horizon before September. An assist for the opposition, which is going on the attack: “we have made a concrete proposal: – PD secretary Elly Schlein tells MF – we need to adopt the mobile excise duty system, but the government doesn’t listen to us on this point and petrol always remains above two euros per litre”.
The leader of the 5 Star Movement Giuseppe Conte from his social profiles immediately calls for an extraordinary council of ministers against high fuel prices. “Returning home from holidays – calculates Codacons – including fuel, tolls and stops in service areas can amount to around 270 euros per family and almost 300”. Assoutenti asks the government to cut excise duties “at least until September 6th”. The resources, Assoutenti also suggests, must come from the extra profits of energy companies, oil companies, banks and insurance companies. The UNC calculates that “it is a historic record for petrol” in recent years while “the government sleeps and hibernates”. In the usual daily survey by Mimit, the ministry indicates that today the average price of fuel in self-service mode along the national road network is equal to 2.008 euros per liter for petrol (up compared to 2.005 yesterday) while on the motorway green petrol has increased to 2.085 euros (yesterday 2.080). Diesel in self mode on the roads today is sold at 2.128 euros (2.122 yesterday) and on the motorway at 2.200 euros (2.186 yesterday). The cut of 17 cents per liter on diesel (14 cents plus VAT), decided by the government on 28 July and extended on 4 August with a commitment of 245 million euros, remains in force until midnight on 24 August, while from 25 August the mobile excise duty mechanism takes over. The law allows the increased VAT revenue generated by the increase in the international price of oil to be used to temporarily reduce excise duties on fuel. A mechanism of the same type had already been used at the end of July. The Mef-Mase decree of 27 July had reduced the excise duty on diesel for 28 and 29 July using 20.5 million euros of increased VAT revenue. Looking at the increases at the pump, «it is probable that today’s prices are lower than that recorded in the weekly average from 27 June 2022 to 3 July 2022 when petrol cost 2.065 euros per litre, lower than today’s motorway price and higher than that of normal roads – calculates Unc – To find a weekly average higher than both of today’s Mimit readings you have to go back to the reading of 21 March 2022 (from 14 to March 20)” explains the president Massimiliano Dona. «The abnormal growth in price lists for distributors risks creating a domino effect on the Italian economy with cascading price increases in all sectors» warns the president of Assoutenti Gabriele Melluso.