The prices of fuel showed varied trends at the start of this week, with gasoline maintaining its price while diesel became slightly cheaper, as expected, according to the updated average prices from the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (DGEG) released on Tuesday.
Regular gasoline 95 changed from 1.699 euros per liter to 1.698 euros per liter between Friday and Monday, meaning the price remained almost unchanged.
However, regular diesel dropped from 1.548 euros per liter to 1.543 euros per liter in the same period, indicating a decrease of half a cent.
The daily average prices published on the Fuel Prices Online website are calculated based on the prices reported by fuel stations, weighted by the quantities sold in the last known period, incorporating discounts offered at fuel stations such as fleet cards and others.
What did the forecasts indicate?
The forecasts released at the end of last week by the Automobile Club of Portugal (ACP) anticipated a reduction of one cent for diesel and for the price of gasoline to remain at the previous week’s levels.
End of the ISP discount? Government is working on a solution
The Minister of Finance assured that the government is working on a solution for the end of discounts on the tax on petroleum and energy products (ISP), recommended by the European Commission, to prevent an increase in fuel prices.
“We will look for moments of price reduction to reverse these discounts,” stated the Minister of State and Finance, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, who presented the State Budget proposal for 2026 today in Lisbon.
The minister pointed out that this issue has been raised by the European Commission since 2023, being “the only remark” made by the institution in its assessment of the Medium-Term Budgetary Program last October and reiterated in a new letter received in June, urging the government to end ISP discounts.
The Minister of Economy and Territorial Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida, had admitted a few days ago to “adjustments” in fuel prices.
“The government’s position last year was to make adjustments only when there is a drop in gasoline prices so that people do not feel they are paying more due to tax increases,” said Castro Almeida, emphasizing that it would be “unthinkable to do it all at once.”
The government estimates that revenue from the tax on petroleum and energy products (ISP) will increase by 187 million euros to 4.254 billion euros, according to the State Budget proposal for 2026 presented today.
“This growth results from the expected increase in private consumption,” the document states.
The second budget drafted by the finance team led by Joaquim Miranda Sarmento has already been approved by the Council of Ministers and will be discussed in general at the end of the month, with the final global vote scheduled for November 27.
