Now it is the public company that removes the chestnuts from the fire in place of the State, in the wake of what TotalEnergies has done in France (a State which, incidentally, has not reduced excise duties - 0.690 euros per liter for petrol and 0.607 for diesel, not exactly modest - in this crisis), thus acquiring sales volumes (the 'discounts' of the summer weekends of 2012 come to mind), gratitude and merit and, as a by-product of the operation, cornering the discussion, which is often easy to grasp demagogic, on the taxation of excess profits.
The reference is to the French giant TotalEnergies, which in the spring decided on a price cap which was then extended several times. The move, however, in addition to infuriating the independent operators - who in July filed a complaint with the French Antitrust claiming that the initiative distorts competition - has also had repercussions on inventories, with petrol stations under siege and fuel in short supply.
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The Figisc article continues: "If the Eni operation can give partial relief to consumers exhausted by the price hike, however - it is observed - it has the effect of upsetting the distribution market: there are those who immediately argued that it is an operation implemented by virtue of a dominant position, of dumping and unfair competition. And if this makes sense for a good part of the distribution network, now made up of many independent operators who will have to suffer competition without having any possibility of countering it, the The question is also: what will the other oil majors, new and old, present on our market do, displaced by the move of the State Company?".
For further information on Sky Cube: Dear fuel, when will the rush of gas and petrol end?
"And going down the supply chain to the forecourt, what will become of all those managers who are not Eni, who will find themselves, without the protection network of their company, out of the market with yet another blow to an economic sustainability that has already been in crisis for years, minimum margins linked to liters sold not to price, and already fierce and now ferocious competitiveness?", asks the federation of petrol plant managers belonging to Confcommercio.
Figisc then also points out: "And what will the Eni managers themselves, whose stocks are significantly devalued (already devalued when excise duties fell), what will they do when - as has already happened here, but just in recent days in France in the TotalEnergies plants - it is difficult to cope with supplies? Of course, consumers cannot care less about this, but the distribution system is still an economic system that must hold up".
Despite these concerns, pressure is growing for other companies to follow Eni's example. "We are surprised by the timing with which Eni implements the initiative, perhaps to demonstrate that something can be done, precisely at the same time as the debate on the extra profits of oil companies and companies - said the national vice president of Adoc, Alessandro Cafagna, speaking at the regional Congress of the Consumer Orientation Defense Association - And we regret that it is the private sector, even if participated by the State, that takes the initiative while we continue to support that workers, families and citizens are asking for structural tools. We hope that Let Eni's example be followed by other companies. We will think about a real reform of the Italian energy market, as we have been doing for months." "Finally something is moving on the fuel front - commented the president of Assoutenti, Gabriele Melluso - The decision to resort to the price cap mechanism is positive for two reasons: firstly it will allow immediate savings for motorists who refuel at Enilive plants, on the other hand it could trigger a virtuous competitive push, pushing other oil companies to adopt similar measures so as not to lose market share".
Read also: Cutting excise duties on diesel, which other states are doing it in Europe?
