Diesel at self-service stations is $2.088 per liter. Gasoline is $1.755. This is the average fuel price in Sardinia today, according to a report from the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy. It's rising ever higher. As—unless extended—the deadline for the excise duty cut approaches.

At the same time, the government has launched a series of in-depth checks to monitor those selling the product, using the Guardia di Finanza to track down speculation. But the owners of fuel stations are not having it: "The station operators do not set prices at the pump. They are, in fact, obliged to apply the price lists established by the oil companies or the relevant network operators, thus operating without any discretion over the final price charged to consumers." This is the opening statement from Figisc Confcommercio Sud Sardegna, the island branch of the Italian federation that protects fuel station operators.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues is Cagliari representative Salvatore Garau. He also warns of a pressing issue: the communication of prices through the Ministry's portal (Osservaprezzi carburanti), which must be updated with every change or at least every seven days. This tool was created to ensure transparency, but has long been plagued by significant technical issues.

"When the platform doesn't function properly," Garau says, "the operators risk fines despite having no responsibility whatsoever. It's a paradoxical situation that penalizes those who work within the rules and guarantee an essential service to citizens."

The challenges don't stop there. Operators must make significant upfront payments to purchase fuel and deal with the direct effects of price increases, all while operating on extremely slim margins: approximately 3-4 cents gross per liter, equal to just over 1% of the final price, which covers all operating costs.

"It's profoundly unfair to accuse managers of speculation," adds Garau. "Price dynamics arise much further upstream, between international prices, industrial costs, and taxation. We're simply the last link in the chain, the most exposed but also the least protected."

Specifically, the pump price is made up of approximately 62% excise duties and VAT, 28% industrial costs, and only the remaining 10% is accounted for by the distribution chain, which also includes the operator's margin. The real determinants of price are therefore linked to international markets, the prices of refined products (Platts), and complex financial mechanisms.

Finally, on the topic of so-called "mobile excise duties," Figisc highlights that, while a desirable measure, the impact on the final price would be limited, without addressing a structural issue affecting the entire system.

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