The excise duty cut on gasoline and diesel has been extended until July 3. The Ministry of Economy and Finance's decree, which establishes the new cut , effective from June 7, 2026, until July 3, has been published in the Official Journal.

According to the decree, the excise duty on gasoline and diesel is set at €622.90 per thousand liters. For LPG used as fuel, the rate is set at €242.77 per thousand kilograms, while for natural gas used as fuel, the excise duty remains zero euros per cubic meter. The measure confirms the 5-cent discount on gasoline, while halving the discount on diesel from 10 to 5 cents.

The financial coverage of the measure, equal to 149.4 million euros, is guaranteed by the increased revenue generated in the period from May 1 to May 31, 2026, in relation to periodic payments of value added tax.

The National Consumers Union (Unione Nazionale Consumatori) rejected the decree, calling it "a terrible idea. The government continues to reduce the excise tax discount. This time it's applied to diesel, the previous time to gasoline," said Massimiliano Dona, president of the National Consumers Union. According to the association, the measure will have an immediate impact on diesel pump prices.

"Diesel fuel is still currently €2.072 on the highway. This means that, at constant industrial prices, tomorrow it will once again cross the €2.10 per liter threshold, reaching €2.133, equivalent to a €3.05 increase for a 50-liter tank," Dona claims. On ordinary roads, he adds, the price of diesel fuel would rise from €1.980 to €2.041 per liter. For the UNC, the decision also risks fueling inflationary pressures. Dona cites the latest ISTAT report, which states that the rise in energy commodity prices has already begun to affect consumer prices, with possible negative effects on demand. "In short, it was an own goal," he concludes.

(Unioneonline/D)

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