Fuel prices, the Gdf anti- speculation plan on the realignment of excise duties

The Guardia di Finanza raises its sights on fuel prices and puts those who do not comply with the new rules on the realignment of excise duties between diesel and petrol in their sights. On 15 May last, in fact, the inter-ministerial decree that ordered the realignment of excise duties between petrol and diesel - with a reduction of 1.50 cents per litre for petrol and a simultaneous increase of the same amount for diesel - came into force, but not everyone seems to have adjusted to the new provisions introduced by the government. In order to flush out the new scoundrels who increase diesel without decreasing petrol, the Guardia di Finanza has launched a nationwide control device to counter illicit conduct that alters price formation and harms consumers and fair competition. As explained by the General Command, the strengthening of controls and the adoption of digital tools for fuel traceability represent a concrete response to a complex and deep-rooted phenomenon. "The Guardia di Finanza's clampdown on the realignment of excise duties is a clear signal: the fuel market must be transparent, competitive and respectful of the rules, to protect consumers, businesses and public finances," the Fiamme Gialle emphasise.

The plan, coordinated by the General Command of the Fiamme Gialle, explains a note from Viale XXI Aprile, involves more than 660 operational Units located throughout the country, with the constant support of the Special Units of the GdF. The objective is twofold: on the one hand, to verify compliance with the new tax provisions and, on the other, to combat speculative manoeuvres that distort the market, to the detriment of consumers and honest operators. The intervention strategy is based on centrally developed risk analyses, which guide the targeted controls against distributors and operators in the supply chain. The spotlight is especially on those suspected of price manipulation to enable the departments to trace the commercial chain and uncover any unscrupulous speculators. Particular attention is also paid to the correct display and communication of the prices charged, which are fundamental regulatory obligations to ensure transparency and consumer information.

The control mechanism is not limited to price verification, but also extends to the control of tax obligations, the regular operation of dispensing facilities, and the quality of fuels sold. In the two-year period 2023-2024, recalls the Guardia di Finanza, more than 20,000 interventions were carried out, which led to the contestation of almost 10,000 violations. Of these, 2,416 concerned the failure to display or the discrepancy between the prices charged and the prices indicated, while 7,312 were related to the failure to notify the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy. Numbers that testify to the spread of irregular behaviour that undermines market transparency and consumer confidence, stresses the General Command. The Guardia di Finanza's action is part of a broader context of monitoring, which sees collaboration with the Customs and Monopolies Agency and the Garante per la sorveglianza dei prezzi, the so-called 'Mister Prezzi' (Price Supervisor) set up to identify and report speculative phenomena throughout the supply chain.

There is no shortage of operations against illegal diesel from Eastern Europe, with seizures of huge quantities of adulterated fuel and tax frauds amounting to millions of euro, as shown by the recent activities of the Udine Economic and Financial Police Unit. These frauds not only rob the State of resources, but also jeopardise consumer safety and damage the legal market.