Expensive fuel crushes road transport, and of the 500 million that the government has allocated to mitigate the effects of expensive diesel there is no trace: certainly blocked, perhaps disappeared.
The alarm was raised by Confartigianato Trasporti , together with other group names in the sector
in UNATRAS.
In fact, 85 days have passed since the decree which, in addition to allocating the half billion euro that is not now available, cut the cost of fuel by 25 cents and approved a long series of rules for freight transport that would have guaranteed greater conditions of balance within the sector.
Confartigianato Trasporti therefore wrote to the Prime Minister, Mario Draghi , the Minister of Sustainable Infrastructures and Mobility, Enrico Giovannini , and the Deputy Minister, Teresa Bellanova , to request the disbursement of the millions already allocated by the energy decree, in order to allow hauliers to tackle the surge in diesel prices through a fuel purchase tax credit.
Sardinian goods transport companies are also on a war footing, ready not to tolerate silence and the absence of responses from the government.
"Once again we highlight the dramatic situation in which the road transport sector finds itself which, more than other sectors, is dealing with all the heavy effects due to the difficult economic and social situation - comments Giovanni Mellino, Coordinator of Confartigianato Trasporti Sardinia - a sector that risks, due to the dizzying increase in energy costs, the total block of vehicles and consequently the circulation of goods. In Sardinia more at risk also due to the costs of the ships "
In the letter sent to Draghi, Giovannini and Bellanova, Confartigianato Trasporti underlines that "to this day, road transport companies have not been able to enjoy any tangible support which is also dedicated to them, seeing again an unstoppable rise in prices fuel which also canceled any positive effect of the discount of 0.25 cents / liter of diesel at the pump, given that the final price has returned to the unbearable level of 2 euro / liter ".
The association of artisan road hauliers also denounces how "on this issue it is evident that nothing has yet been done to put an end to the shameful speculation underway , having ascertained that the price of the barrel is stable or even slightly down while at the pump the prices continue to rise enormously ".
"For all of this - continues Mellino - we wrote to the Prime Minister to complain about the incomprehensible delays which, despite the ministerial reassurances received, are hindering the concrete enforceability of the proposed measures that could give sure relief in this moment of enormous criticality, which is already causing widespread discontent among operators and risks undermining the possibility of continuing to do business ".
Specifically, the road hauliers refer to the actions regarding the tax credit of 28% , provided for in the "Aid Decree" relating to the purchase of diesel for the most environmentally sustainable means, and the tax credits provided for in the Energy Decree relating to the cost purchase of the ADBlue additive and liquefied natural gas, for which the establishment of the tax codes by the Revenue Agency and the related operating procedures are expected.
"We cannot understand how, despite being at the last mile to allow businesses a fundamental breath of fresh air - underlines Mellino - there are still delays and the state of the art of measures suggested and strongly desired by the Trade Associations is not known" . "Just as it is essential that the financial administration defines as soon as possible the amounts of the flat-rate deductions for the undocumented expenses of smaller companies - points out the Coordinator of Confartigianato Trasporti Sardegna - and the Ministry promptly proceeds with the payment of the investment incentives for the renewal of the vehicle fleet and training, for which the payment of the annuities from 2019 is still awaited ".
For Confartigianato Trasporti it is now essential that the Ministry of Sustainable Infrastructures and Mobility urgently provide the sector associations with the operational details for the prompt availability of all the measures implemented in favor of the sector, with the aim of making get the resources to companies as quickly as possible for their very survival.
(Unioneonline / vl)