The crisis causes energy and fuel consumption to drop, while the energy bill drops in 2013 and will drop again in 2014. This is predicted by the Petroleum Union in its preliminary final balance on consumption which estimates an energy bill in 2013 of 56,1 billion euros , down by approximately 8,8 billion (-13,5%) compared to that of 2012.
The weight on GDP, adds Up, stands at 3,6% compared to 4,1% in 2012.
The oil bill dropped by over 3 billion in 2013, due to the reduction in consumption, the appreciation of the euro and the decline in the prices of imported crude. For 2014, Up estimates an oil bill of between 26 and 35 billion; the energy bill could instead be around 54,4 billion euros.
Again in the 2013 final balance, Up estimates a further increase in fuel taxes in the coming years. The tax burden, among the highest in Europe, has already reduced consumption. Since 2004, the year of peak consumption, a total of 11 billion liters have been lost. Gasoline, which has dropped to 8 million tons, today has volumes that are less than half those of 2000.
The strong growth of the tax component was decisive, destined to grow up to 30 cents in the next few years, which made the demand for price increasingly elastic and significantly reduced the revenue for the State (over 1 billion less than in 2012).
Additional surcharges have been introduced in various Regions which have resulted in a drop in petrol consumption in these areas of 3-4 percentage points above the national average.
