As a precaution against the crisis, the government plans to end the reduction of 20 cents per liter, which was put into effect on April 1. The generalized discounts for all drivers expire on 31 December and are currently being worked on and different options are being analyzed to replace the indiscriminate discount with measures to protect the economic sectors most affected by the increase. fuels.
The executive plans to rush to take a decision by almost the end of the year. Analyze the evolution of fuel prices in the coming weeks and forecasts for the next year. Fuel prices have been falling for the past few weeks and have moved away from last July’s highs, when both petrol and diesel were above 2.10 euros per liter.
The government plans to continue several measures adopted to mitigate the impact of the energy crisis on homes and businesses in the first months of next year or through 2023, but fuel cuts are doubtful. Nadia Calviño, Vice President and Minister of Economic Affairs, left the continuity of the 20-cent cut from January 1 in the air, emphasizing that this is a measure with enormous financial costs, in an interview with the RNE.
Public accounts pay the discount in full to all drivers, individuals and professionals, regardless of their income level; Except for some big oil companies, where the state takes on 15 of the 20 cents. The Executive’s official estimate for the first three months of implementation was that the cost to the public treasury would be more than that. €1.4 billionand he finally accepted that he would be older.
Calviño pointed out that the advisability of maintaining or changing the general discount in fuels was analyzed with measures aimed at protecting professionals from economic sectors engaged in activities where fuel prices constitute a special burden for companies. “It will be necessary to look at whether sectoral measures should be taken.“If it is necessary to sustain it for the entire population or focus on the most affected sector or group,” he said.
changes in the study
Whenever the time comes to renew the fuel reduction measure, the Government itself remove or change the discount if it is found to be ineffective. The executive had also left the door open on other occasions, making it necessary to expand support for drivers to convert it into a discount that would later be distributed based on consumer income in the event of the energy crisis and continued high gasoline and diesel prices. .
general distribution of the discount 20 cents per liter for all customers and it has been criticized for being regressive in all refueling, regardless of the consumer’s income level and intensity of vehicle use: it benefits higher incomes more because it is general. In any case, it has been argued from various ministries of the executive (from the Treasury to the Ecological Transition or the Economy itself) that the only way to quickly implement this during the extreme price crisis is to initiate a fuel discount for all users. .