Andrea Innocenti In recent months, fuel prices have fueled debate in Parliament. After a series of excise duty reductions introduced in March, the Council of Ministers has once again debated how to stem the surge in fuel prices.
The measure that was supposed to activate the mobile excise taxes was never published, and Deputy Minister of Economy Maurizio Leo reported that the issue is still being evaluated.
Meanwhile, the government has preferred to use the additional VAT revenues, recorded in September due to the high fuel prices, to support the state budget.
Suspension of excise duties on mobile assets: what the decision provides
On September 16, the Council of Ministers approved the fifteenth excise duty cut, reducing diesel prices by 12,2 cents per litre from September 18 to 25, and by 6,1 cents until October 5.
The plan was to include the mechanism of mobile excise duties, i.e. the possibility of using the VAT surplus to further reduce the consumption tax.
Fiscal rationale and budget targets for 2026
The Public Finance Planning Document forecasts a deficit of 2,9% of GDP for 2026, a threshold that would allow Italy to exit the European infringement procedure.
To comply with this limit, the government has decided to retain the resources deriving from the VAT overrun, estimated at more than 170 million euros in September, avoiding transferring them to a further tax discount.
Fuel price cap: Eni's response and solidarity contribution
In parallel with the excise tax decision, energy companies confirmed the price cap of €2,25 per liter, a level set to contain any market spikes. An Eni spokesperson stated that its commercial policy is "responsible" and that the price cap will remain in place as long as international prices require it. Last week, the company announced a price of €2,21 for diesel.
The solidarity contribution and the participation of distributors
As part of an agreement with Palazzo Chigi, a "solidarity contribution" in the form of a price cap was established, which more than 10 stores , or over half of the national distributors, have participated in. Independent operators have complained of unfair competition, but the government maintains that the mechanism only marginally impacts retailers' margins.
Consequences for motorists: road tax, power limits and the future of the measures
Meanwhile, the prime minister has announced the elimination of the road tax for cars with power outputs under 80 kW and for motorcycles, but the measure is only funded for the next election year. Motorists will still have to live with a one-year suspension of their road tax and the price cap imposed by Eni, Q8, and IP, which will be adjusted by six cents to reflect the tax increase.
The government remains ready to intervene again with mobile excise taxes if the price situation worsens, but the final decision will depend on the full reinstatement of the price cap in the coming hours. For now, the €170 million available is earmarked for strengthening the budget balance, at the expense of further incentives for fuel consumers.