The government’s offensive against expensive petrol begins while the Guardia di Finanza intensifies controls to avoid abuses. Transparency on the fuel front also kicked off with the obligation for all distributors to display billboards with the average prices of petrol and diesel. Starting tomorrow, service station managers will have to clearly display not only the costs of their own system but also the regional average costs to encourage comparison by motorists. A measure desired by the executive, by Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti in particular, in the petrol decree at the beginning of the year, but strongly opposed by industry insiders. Among other things, it provides for fines of up to 2,000 euros for anyone who acts smart.
THE RISKS
And precisely against the speculative phenomena recorded on Saturday on some sections of the motorway – with the super for the served at 2.5 euros per liter – the Guardia di Finanza is taking action after the reports received in these hours.
In any case, limited cases, tell Mimit, who assures that average prices stand at 1.74 euros per liter for diesel and 1.89 for petrol. Obviously, the consumer associations are of a completely different opinion. “The problem is not only the maximum prices, but the rapid rise in the price lists on the occasion of the departures of the Italians and the lack of transparency on the formation of prices at the pump”.
THE MOTION
Certainly the phenomenon of the increase in costs for motorists, especially during the summer exodus and on the eve of the arrival of anti-abuse billboards in all service areas, did not please the executive who has other moves in mind to cut the nails of those who speculate.
Among the ideas on the table there is also that of providing travelers with a sort of handbook to defend themselves against unfair commercial practices. Whether or not a toll-free number will be activated has not yet been defined, but there is still a desire to develop a wide-ranging protection mechanism. At the same time, the Gdf, at the instigation of Mr. Prices and the competent ministries, is intensifying the monitoring it already normally carries out on roads and highways. After all, Mimit also points out, since the beginning of 2023 the industrial price of petrol and diesel, net of taxation, in Italy has remained stably lower than that in Spain, Germany and France.
But the game on the price increase front doesn’t stop there. Urso is also defining the anti-inflation protocol for the most widely consumed products. An agreement with the producers’ chain and with that of the distributors to control the prices of bread, pasta, flour, oil, eggs, rice and baby products. In short, goods considered essential, while alcohol is excluded.
PLAN
In the intentions of the government, the protocol should be signed shortly, perhaps on Tuesday. It will not only fix the stakes of the agreement with the supermarket chains and producers, but will also specify that it is a temporary initiative on a voluntary basis “in respect of the freedom of enterprise and market strategies”.
The declared objective is to start an “anti-inflation quarter” in October, blocking costs for families until December.
Furthermore, it is not excluded that if the initiative were to be successful, an extension could be possible. As mentioned, it concerns a selection of products from the basic necessity shopping cart and does not involve any charge for the state coffers. The adhering associations will have to undertake to offer the products at controlled prices for the entire period and, as written in the text, will thus have the possibility of signaling the offers with the tricolor stamp and with a logo on the shop window. By September 15, the trade associations will have to communicate the member companies to get the plan off the ground which, this is the government’s aim, should involve as many businesses as possible.
Read the full article
on The Messenger