Italy’s Council of Ministers is expected to review a competition bill that would overhaul the country’s 45-billion-euro-a-year fuel retail sector, home to 22,000 stations and 80,000 workers, as pump prices approach historic peaks. The draft law would require stations to stock at least one non-fossil fuel from January 2028 to retain operating permits and offers conversion grants of up to 60,000 euros per site, drawn from a 40-million-euro annual fund through 2030.
The push comes as national self-service petrol averages 1.949 euros per litre and diesel sits at 2.124 euros, edging toward all-time highs of 1.968 and 2.181 euros respectively. Diesel has jumped nearly 11 cents in a week, with motorists in Sicily, South Tyrol and Friuli Venezia Giulia paying the steepest premiums.