Alfred A. Farrugia
The European Commission has published the consumer prices of petroleum products inclusive of duties and taxes as of Monday, 10 August. (http://ec.europa.eu/energy/observatory/reports/2015_08_10_with_taxes_1764.pdf)
The weighted average price of diesel in the EU 19 eurozone area was €1.184 per litre on Monday, while the weighted average price of diesel of the EU 28 was €1.228 per litre.
This means that at €1.26 per litre, diesel in Malta is 8 cents higher than the EU 19 eurozone area.
In fact, the price of diesel in Malta is higher than the price in 22 EU member states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.
In Luxembourg, the price of diesel is €1.003 per litre, that is practically 26 cents lower than in Malta!
The price of petrol in Malta is higher than in 14 EU member states: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Spain.
The price of petrol in Estonia is €1.163 per litre, which is practically 19 cents lower than in Malta!
In the opinion of the Malta Automobile Club, which is similar to the position of the government’s own former consultant, the importation, storage and sale of petroleum products are not government business.
When is Enemed Co. Ltd going to reduce the prices of petrol and diesel to the same level as some of the EU countries mentioned above? Is Enemed making abnormal profits as a result of its dominant position in the local market? Where are the local competition authorities? Maltese consumers have the right to enjoy the same benefits of a competitive fuel market as other EU citizens. When are Maltese consumers going to have the ability to select the brand and grade of petrol or diesel of their choice?
Why are all filling stations in Malta selling petrol and diesel at exactly the same price? In which country in the world would we find a similar situation?
Are the constituent bodies of the MCESD satisfied that Malta has a liberalised fuel market? Is it not strange that for the past 40 years Maltese consumers have had to accept a state monopoly in the fuel market?
What benefits to the consumers has EU membership brought if the situation practically remained the same after 2004?
The following table is courtesy of the European Commission.