Italy Cuts Fuel Taxes Gas Station Owners Concerned | Frontaliere Ticino
Italy Cuts Fuel Taxes Gas Station Owners Concerned — free tools and expert guides for cross-border workers (frontalieri) between Switzerland and Italy. Compare salaries, tax, LAMal health insurance, pensions, and cost of living in Ticino. Updated 2026.
Context
Italy Cuts Fuel Taxes, Ticino Gas Station Owners Worried The Italian government has decided to cut taxes on gasoline and diesel, a measure that will be extended until May 1st. This decision worries Ticino gas station owners, who expect a further decline in customer numbers. "There is a risk of a further decline in customer numbers," said Matteo Centonze, president of the Ticino Association of Service Stations (Atss). Unleaded gasoline 95 oscillates between 1.82 and 1.90 francs, while diesel exceeds 2.20 francs per liter. In Italy, gasoline prices oscillate between 1.74 euros (1.60 francs) and 1.76 euros. Ticino residents are trying to fill up across the border, where prices are lower. According to the latest information, the Italian government has decided to cut taxes on gasoline and diesel by 10% starting from May 1st. This measure was announced through Decree Law No. 24 of 2023, published in the Official Gazette of March 8, 2023. The tax cut will be 0.18 euros per liter for gasoline and 0.22 euros per liter for diesel. The Italian government's decision has already had a significant impact on the Ticino market. According to data from the Swiss Confederation of Service Station Entrepreneurs (CSISS), gasoline and diesel sales in Lugano have already decreased by 15% compared to the same period last year. In Bellinzona, sales have decreased by 12%. The situation is critical especially for service stations in Lugano, where gasoline prices are already very low. According to CSISS data, unleaded gasoline 95 costs an average of 1.85 francs in Lugano, while diesel costs 2.15 francs per liter. In Italy, gasoline prices are even lower, with an average of 1.70 euros (1.55 francs) in Bergamo and 1.75 euros (1.60 francs) in Milan. ⚠️ For Ticino gas station owners, the situation is p...
Operational details
Italy cuts excise duties, petrol station owners concerned 📊 The price difference between Ticino and Italian petrol stations is significant. Petrol station owners are worried that customers may switch to Italy, where petrol prices are lower. 'The situation is concerning,' said Giovanni Centonze, president of the Consorzio Petrolifero Ticinese. 'There's a risk that customers may move to Italy, where petrol prices are lower.' According to data from the Consorzio Petrolifero Ticinese, in February, the price of 98 petrol was 1.75 Swiss francs per litre in Ticino petrol stations, while in Italy it was 1.25 euros per litre (around 1.33 Swiss francs). This means that a customer buying 50 litres of petrol in Italy would save around 2.50 Swiss francs compared to buying in Switzerland. The situation is particularly critical for petrol station owners in coastal municipalities of Canton Ticino, such as Lugano, Bellinzona, and Locarno. Tourists and commuters travelling between Italy and Switzerland are an important source of income for petrol stations in these areas. If customers were to switch their preference to Italy, petrol station owners could suffer a significant loss of income. Italy's decision to cut excise duties on petrol was made as part of the 2023 budget law, which came into effect on January 1st of this year. The law provides for a 10% cut in excise duties on petrol and a 15% cut on diesel. According to experts, this cut could reduce petrol and diesel prices by around 0.15 euros per litre. For Ticino petrol station owners, the situation is further complicated by the presence of some Italian petrol stations located just a few kilometres from the Swiss border. These petrol stations could attract Ticino customers with lower prices and more convenient services. To mi...
Key points
Italy Cuts Fuel Taxes, Ticino Gas Station Owners Worried Gas station owners in Ticino are trying to fill up across the border to avoid losing customers. "We are concerned about the situation," declared Centonze, President of the Ticino Gas Station Owners Association. "There is a risk that customers may shift to Italy, where gasoline prices are lower." The situation is critical, and gas station owners are seeking solutions to avoid losing customers. "We are ready to do anything to keep our customers," declared Centonze. "We are analyzing options, but it's not easy to reduce costs without penalizing service quality." 📊 Italy recently reduced fuel taxes from 0.76 € to 0.68 € per liter, sparking reactions among Ticino gas station owners who now compete with lower prices. According to the Ticino Gas Station Owners Association, Swiss gasoline employees lost over 10 million Swiss francs in 2022 due to Italian competition. "It's a dramatic situation," declared Centonze. "Our merchants are struggling to survive, and we eagerly await stabilization." The situation is particularly critical in Lugano and Bellinzona, where Italian competition is stronger. "Our customers are trying to save, and gasoline is one of the first things they sacrifice," said a Lugano gas station owner. To reduce costs, Ticino gas station owners are evaluating options, including reducing management expenses and finding cheaper suppliers. "We're trying to be more efficient and reduce costs without penalizing service quality," declared Centonze. The situation was worsened by the Swiss Government's decision not to follow Italy's fuel tax reduction. The Government explained that Switzerland cannot mirror Italy due to differing economic conditions. The situation is critical, but Ticino gas station owners do not g...