Portuguese fuels are among the most expensive in all of Europe and when we look at Spain, for example, the price difference is quite significant, which justifies the preference of the Portuguese who live in the regions near the border to fuel in the "neighboring country" .
But according to the most recent data from the Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE), this difference is explained exclusively by the tax burden applied in our country, which is once again among the highest in the European Union.
Giving some context to ERSE's data, if plain 95 gasoline were sold tax free in both countries, it would be cheaper to refuel in Portugal than in Spain . With regard to simple diesel, without taxes, average prices in Portugal would be in line with those in Spain.
Let's do the math…
In Portugal, taxes have a weight of 59% in the final price of 95 simple gasoline, which makes the average price of a liter of gasoline in Portugal to be above the European Union average.The average price of 95 simple gasoline with taxes in the third quarter of the year was €1,671/l in Portugal, a figure well above the €1,417/l recorded in Spain and the €1,454/l for the European Union average.
However, if we eliminate the part of taxes, the average cost of gasoline 95 is €0.690/l, above the European average (€0.641/l), but slightly below the price in Spain: €0.698/l.
Interestingly, with or without taxes, Portugal always ranks fifth in the European Union with regard to the price of 95 simple gasoline.
Similar conclusions for Diesel and LPG
If we turn the needle to the price of simple diesel, the conclusions are almost the same.
Let us use as a reference the average price (with taxes) of simple diesel in the third quarter of the year: 1,671 €/l, with taxes having a weight of 54%.
According to the ERSE bulletin, the average in the European Union was €1,337/l, the result of a lower tax burden (only 51%). In Spain these figures are even lower: taxes have a weight of just 47% and the average price of simple diesel is €1,268/l.
If we repeat the tax subtraction exercise, we realize that the price of simple diesel in Portugal would be in line with that practiced in Spain (€0.671/l and €0.669/l, respectively), even though it remained above the EU average: €0.658 /l.
Only LPG Auto has a lower price in Portugal
In the case of LPG Auto, the national average prices were lower than those practiced in Spain. Compared with the EU average, the price in Portugal was €0.04/l higher, however, excluding taxes, national prices were €0.04/l below the European average.
Source: ERSE