For both fuels, Portugal ranks 9th among the 27 Member States. It is among the top 10 most expensive, and, on average, taxes mean that fuel in Portugal is up to 21 cents more expensive than across the border, according to a report by ECO.

The average selling price (ASP) of petrol in the EU fell by an average of 6.1 cents per litre (cent/l) between the first and second quarters of this year. National prices are higher than the EU average, placing Portugal in ninth place among the countries with the highest prices. Compared to Spain, and considering the price before taxes, Portugal had a SSP 0.7 cents per litre lower.

For diesel, the SSP in the EU fell by 9.9 cents per litre from the first to the second quarter of this year. The national SSP was above the EU average, also placing Portugal in ninth place on the list of highest prices. Without taxes, the national average price is 2.1 cents per litre lower than that of the neighbouring country, placing Portugal in 11th place among the countries with the highest prices.

For LPG for Auto, both with and without taxes, national prices were lower than those in Spain. Compared to the EU average, the national PMV was 6.3 cents/l higher. However, excluding taxes, national prices were 6.4 cents/l below the European average.

Taxes

Taxes weigh more heavily in Portugal than in the European bloc and in Spain. For petrol, taxes account for 56% in Portugal, 55% in the EU, and 49% in Spain. For diesel, they account for 52% in Portugal, while the European bloc accounts for 50% and Spain for 45%. For LPG for automobiles, the scenario is the same, but with more pronounced differences: the tax burden accounts for 45% in Portugal, 33% in the EU, and only 21% in Spain.

For petrol, "Portugal had the highest tax burden (56%) within the Iberian Peninsula, which is why the Portuguese PMV, including taxes, was approximately 21.4 cents/l higher than in Spain," ERSE reports. A statement that is repeated in relation to diesel: "The tax burden in Portugal (52%) was higher than in Spain (45%), resulting in the PMV practiced in Portugal being 15.1 cents/l higher than in Spain." Auto LPG is an exception: national prices, both "with" and "without" taxes, were lower than those practiced in Spain.