The price of diesel fuel continues to rise. After a liter of this fuel again reached values of about two euros at the beginning of this week, it is preparing to rise in price again by 12 cents. After all, those who are thinking of refueling their car are waiting for prices of about 2.12 euros per liter. As for petrol, despite a two-cent drop, the values are still very close to 2.30 euros per liter, if we are not talking about highway fillings. Then the scenario is even more discouraging.
The tax rate on petroleum products (ISP), which fell less than one cent last week, remains the same and is due to be adjusted only on June 17.
The market justifies this sharp rise in prices with the announcement of the approval of the sixth set of EU sanctions against Russia. 27 member countries have given the green light to an embargo of up to 90% on Russian oil imports, which should be introduced before the end of this year. However, if we compare the values that are practiced in Spain, the difference is large. The price of gasoline is about 1680 euros, that is, below 8.5% of the EU average.
But these arguments contradict data collected by Sunrise. According to the Mais Gasolina website, the days of successive oil records reaching Portugal are long gone. This was in 2008, but the average for that year is far from the current values: 1,381 euros per liter of gasoline and 1,251 euros per liter of diesel fuel (see chart). As our newspaper Luís Mira Amaral reminds us, even during the troika times, prices did not reach their current level. “At the time of the troika, the price of oil was even higher and fuel prices were lower than they are today, which is an absolutely egregious situation. After all, Passos Coelho and the troika were to blame for everything, but they had a lower price, even though the price of oil was much higher than today.
The economist recalls that the price of a barrel at that time was $140, while now it is $123 (see chart). The fault, according to Mira Amaral, lies in the high tax burden applied by António Costa’s government since he took office. “In 2105, prices dropped a lot, and when this government comes in, the ISP goes up dramatically, and that explains why we have such high prices for consumers.”
And the figures speak for themselves: in April alone, the state collected 217 million euros from this tax.
Price vs Location
Also this Thursday, the Energy Regulatory Authority (ERSE) reported that the price of a barrel of oil declined in April compared to the previous month. But, on the other hand, in the same month, the average selling price of gasoline and diesel fuel to the population increased. But he gave the rationale: the change in gasoline was motivated by “biofuel inclusion components and price and freight,” and in the case of diesel, by biofuel inclusion components, as well as “costs and marketing margins.” suspended.
In the same analysis, the regulator found that the districts of Castelo Branco, Braga and Aveiro recorded the lowest diesel and petrol prices on the Portuguese mainland. Braganca, Beja and Faro presented the highest prices. On the other hand, hypermarkets continue to offer the most competitive diesel and gasoline offerings: 1.5% lower than budget segment operators and 5% lower than branded filling stations, with a difference of 10.2 cents per liter.
