Italy's diesel excise cut expires with no extension, pump prices set to rise

The cut runs out

Italy's temporary reduction in diesel excise duty ends at the close of 7 November 2026. The cut, worth 4.9 cents a litre including VAT, was set by a decree of 28 October and applied for the period from 28 October to 7 November. That decree set the reduction at 632.90 euros per 1,000 litres. A check of the Gazzetta Ufficiale on 7 November found no new cut and no extension, so the ordinary diesel duty is due to apply again from Sunday, 8 November.

Funding and the earlier pause

The latest measure was covered by 38.7 million euros drawn from the extra VAT collected in September 2026, according to the decree. Fanpage reports that it came after a 23-day gap, from 5 to 27 October. Il Sole 24 ORE estimates that not renewing the cut would save the government around 3.5 million euros a day, and notes that the measure had cost 38 million euros over eleven days.

Pump prices before the change

The Mimit fuel price observatory recorded an average self-service diesel price of 2.224 euros a litre on the national road network on Saturday, 7 November, and 2.277 euros on motorways. Petrol stood at 2.001 euros a litre on national roads and 2.029 euros on motorways. According to the ministry, the price cap adopted by the main oil companies keeps self-service prices below 2 euros for petrol and 2.20 euros for diesel across much of the national network. Il Fatto Quotidiano notes that diesel has already risen well above the two-euro mark.

Diesel, national roads2.224

Diesel, motorways2.277

Petrol, national roads2.001

Petrol, motorways2.029

Diesel, national roads

2.224 EUR per litre

Diesel, motorways

2.277 EUR per litre

Petrol, national roads

2.001 EUR per litre

Petrol, motorways

2.029 EUR per litre

Data from the article text

What the increase could mean

Il Messaggero calculates that the return of ordinary excise could add about 4.9 cents a litre, taking the diesel price theoretically to about 2.273 euros a litre from the 2.224 euros recorded on 7 November. On that basis a 50-litre fill would cost roughly 2.45 euros more, a 60-litre fill about 2.94 euros more, and a driver using 1,000 litres about 49 euros more. Il Sole 24 ORE describes the expected rise as slight. Fanpage adds that the consumer group Adusbef pointed to recent oil quotations that open room for pump prices to ease. Il Fatto Quotidiano says the actual change will depend on each distributor's pricing and how quickly the restored duty passes through to pump prices.

Price cap and the oil companies

Il Sole 24 ORE reports that Eni, the only company to publish a precise figure, set its price cap at 1.99 euros for petrol and 2.25 euros for diesel, and that other companies have aligned with it. The paper adds that the effective ceiling on diesel was lower than 2.25 euros because of the government's excise discount. With that discount ending, the calculation of the ceiling changes as well. The ministry has not published a separate estimate of how the cap will interact with the restored duty in the sources reviewed.