The National Association of Energy, Fuels and Service Station Retailers (ANAREC) accused the Government of lying to the Portuguese and making money from fuels. The president of the association, João Durão, spoke to journalists at a fuel station in Lanhelas, in the municipality of Caminha, in the district of Viana do Castelo, demanding more enforcement to stop what he classified as daily fuel smuggling between Spain and Portugal.
João Durão argued that the Government needs to lower the tax burden on fuels, warning that Portuguese companies are losing excessive competitiveness compared to the neighbouring country. According to the official, in each euro of diesel, 60 cents are taxes, a situation that does not occur in Spain.
The ANAREC representative considered that Portugal should apply taxation close to that of Spain and considered that the formula that determines compensation through ISP of the additional amounts collected in VAT is not transparent.
The price difference in fuels between the two sides of the border, separated by only six kilometres through the Bridge of Friendship that connects Caminha to Tomiño, in Galicia, ranges between 30 and 40 cents, which explains the flight of Portuguese consumers to the neighbouring country.
