The prices of fuels in Italy remain among the highest in Europe, burdened by an excessive taxation that affects petrol and diesel. According to an analysis of the consumption training and research center (CRC), Italians spend 4.18 billion euros more than other Europeans every year. A gap attributed mainly to High excise and VATunderlines the president of Assoutenti, Gabriele Melluso.
In the last week, the average petrol price has touched 1.823 euros per liter, positioning Italy in fourth place among the EU countries with the most expensive petrol, after Denmark (2.035 euros per liter), Holland (1.970 euros) and Greece (1.844 euros). Compared to the European average of € 1,707 per liter, Italians pay 11.6 more cents, translating into about 6 euros of additional expenditure for a full one.
The diesel, with an average price of 1.726 euros per liter, costs in Italy 8.6 cents more than the EU average, placing the country in sixth place in the European ranking. The highest expenditure for a full one is around 4.3 euros compared to the European average. However, net of taxes, Italy descends to the eleventh place for petrol (0.765 euros per liter) and twenty -third for diesel (0.798 euros per liter), among the lowest in Europe. Taxation weighs € 1.057 on each liter of petrol, 12.5% more than the EU average, and 0.928 euros on a liter of diesel, 15.4% more.
“Despite the promises of governments, the tax node has never been faced,” Melluso explained. Assoutenti proposes a community reflection to introduce a single taxation system on fuels throughout the European Union. A measure that would reduce inequalities, would contain inflation and would improve Italy’s competitiveness compared to countries with lower fuels. The increases, in fact, affect the entire economic system, considering that 88% of goods travel by rubber.