The Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, explained in a hearing at the Environment and Energy Committee that Portugal does not follow the same approach as Spain in reducing fuel taxes. The government official defended that taxation on fuels is "very important" to fund the National Health Service and Education, among other areas.
According to Maria da Graça Carvalho, taxes on fuels are fundamental for public financing, as is the case with other taxes such as income tax, corporate tax, or property tax. The minister emphasized that this is the Government's justification for not implementing a broader reduction in fuel taxes.
Spain recently announced measures to lower fuel taxes, prompting questions about why Portugal doesn't follow the same path. Maria da Graça Carvalho was questioned during the hearing about this difference in approach between the two Iberian countries.
