More expensive petrol and cheaper diesel in Portugal compared to the European Union average in the first quarter

The average selling price of 95 straight petrol in Portugal in the first quarter of this year was 6.0 cents per liter higher than the EU27 averages, while diesel straight was 9.0 cents lower, according to ERSE data.

According to the EU-27 (European Union 27) fuel price bulletin released this Friday by the Entidade Regladora dos Serviços Energéticos (ERSE), for 95 ordinary gasoline, “In the first quarter of 2023, Portugal presented an average sales price and an average pre-tax price above average values ​​tested in the EU-27 are about 6.0 cents/l. [cêntimos por litro] and 4.9 cents/l, respectively.

“The tax burden on the average selling price of 95 straight petrol in Portugal was around 49.4%, slightly lower than the EU27 average of 50.3% and higher than in Spain (46.3%). “He’s needed.

According to him, “not taking into account the impact of the tax burden, in Portugal the average selling prices of this fuel were lower than the average prices in Spain by about 2.7 cents / l.”

The ERSE bulletin also notes that, given the prices of tax-free 95 percent gasoline, “Portugal is ranked seventh among the countries selling this most expensive fuel in the EU-27, with the price charged corresponding to a difference of 26.3 cents.” l and 9.5 cents/l compared to the country with the lowest prices and the country with the highest prices, respectively.”

Among the eight countries analyzed in more detail — Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands — “Spain had the lowest average selling price, about 4.8 cents per liter lower than the average price in Portugal.” , notes ERSE.

For plain diesel, “in the first quarter of 2023, Portugal reported average prices with taxes 9.0 cents/l lower than the averages confirmed in the EU-27” and “without taxes, national values ​​were 2.7 cents /l lower than the average values ​​in the EU-27”.

“Portugal presented a tax burden on the average price of diesel of about 41.6% in the reporting quarter, which is below the average value recorded in the EU-27 (43.2%),” ERSE clarifies.

The regulator highlights that this is “the second lowest tax burden of the eight countries analyzed in more detail, about 1.5 percentage points lower than the average tax weight seen in the EU-27 and about 9.8 percentage points higher.” than the average weight of taxes. taxes in Italy, the country with the highest tax burden.”

And he adds: “The reduction in the tax burden applied in Portugal contributed to the fact that the average selling prices of this fuel on the national market were lower than the average prices practiced in Spain by about 3.8%.

In the fourth quarter, among the eight countries analyzed in greater detail, Portugal had the lowest average price for diesel with taxes, about 6.0 cents/liter lower than the average price in Spain. Without taking into account the tax effect, the average price for this fuel in the country was 5.2 cents / l below the values ​​recorded in Spain.

Considering the average prices for untaxed plain diesel fuel, “Portugal is in seventh position among the countries that sell this fuel cheaper in the EU-27, up four positions compared to the previous quarter.”

The practiced price corresponds to a difference of 36.5 cents/l and 37.8 cents/l compared to the country with the lowest prices and the country with the highest prices, respectively.

Finally, with regard to liquefied petroleum gas for cars (GPL Auto), in the first quarter “domestic prices with and without taxes were lower than in Spain”.

According to ERSE, “compared to the EU27 average, the national PMV was 3.3 cents/l higher, but excluding taxes, national prices were 4.3 cents/l below the European average.”