The fuel subsidy is one of the measures approved in December 2022 to mitigate the impact of the war in Ukraine on the Spanish economy. Next week, the government is expected to approve a new decree law to extend some of these subsidies, according to the Catalan Transport and Logistics Guild.

Thus, one of the measures that will possibly be extended, as has been announced in recent weeks, will be the reduction of VAT on certain basic foodstuffs. Also included would be the rebate and even free of charge until the end of the year for public passenger transport, in order to continue to encourage its use to the detriment of private transport.

The sector is calling for fuel subsidies to be maintained.

For this reason, the representatives of the sector’s professionals have asked the government to also include the extension of the fuel subsidy for transport and taxi drivers approved in December, which was initially planned only until 30 June.

According to the hauliers, this extension for professional road transport groups, both for goods and passengers, would be perfectly justified. They point out that, although the price of oil at international level has been contained in recent months, it is still at high levels, specifically 20 cents more expensive than it was at the same time in 2021.

They point to the forecast that the second half of the year will again see an upward trend in final prices, especially diesel, as a result of increased demand due to the international economic recovery and the application of the sanctioning measures on Russian oil approved by the European Union.

The agricultural sector has annual measures

The union complains that not extending this aid for hauliers and taxi drivers would be an insult to the treatment given to other professional groups that have also benefited from a fuel subsidy, such as the agricultural sector.

The aid for the agricultural sector for 2023 is annual, calculated on the basis of all consumption in the previous year, and also for a higher amount by paying them 20 cents for each litre consumed, unlike road transport, for which this amount has been reduced to 10 cents since last April.

The Gremio de Transportes y Logística, which is part of the employers’ association Cecot, currently has more than 250 members and represents the interests of transport companies and offers various services to its members.

Text by EFE