Italy has extended a 17-cent-per-litre excise duty cut on diesel through 25 August, a measure Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti valued at 245 million euros. The decree, activated on 28 July, was triggered by price spikes linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the relief, average self-service diesel on motorways has returned to 2.173 euros per litre, matching levels seen earlier this month, while self-service petrol on highways averages 2.073 euros. Michele Marsiglia, president of FederPetroli Italia, warned diesel could reach 3 euros per litre within months if the Hormuz crisis persists, with Brent crude trading near 92–93 dollars a barrel.
Consumer group Codacons has urged the government to adopt structural measures to contain fuel costs. Over the past three decades, petrol prices have risen 99.7% and diesel 176.6%, roughly doubling the cost of a 50-litre tank since 1996.