Overview
- Effective March 19 after publication in the Official Gazette, the decree applies a government‑announced 25 cents per liter reduction for 20 days, achieved via an excise cut whose total pass‑through is about 24.4 cents including VAT according to consumer groups.
- Initial implementation proved uneven, with some pumps showing higher or unchanged prices; the price guarantor sent lists of non‑adhering distributors to the Guardia di Finanza for nationwide checks.
- The decree boosts transparency by requiring companies to transmit and publish daily recommended prices and it prohibits intraday price increases, with a 0.1% turnover fine for reporting breaches and possible Antitrust action.
- The package’s fiscal impact includes €417.4 million for the excise cut in 2026 plus targeted credits of €100 million for road transport and €10 million for the fishing sector, largely funded by ministry spending reductions.
- Italy is also lobbying EU partners to ease ETS rules to curb domestic energy costs, a push that faces resistance from countries favoring only limited adjustments, including Germany.