Diesel discount for carriers is to extend to the whole country – Newspapers SUN

Measure announced in April spoke of only three areas on the border with Spain.

After much discussion and controversy surrounding the discount on fuel for truckers, the government assured Thursday that the announced measure “is not an applicable regime on the border” and admits that the goal is to extend this regime “the whole country”.

in April, the government announced it would create discounts for goods carriers in posts gasoline in three border areas, which will be “eliminated the tax differential” in relation to the neighboring country.

But now the executive admits that the measure should be applied across the country. According to Lusa, the cabinet source Eduardo Cabrita, Deputy Minister, declared that “the regime that the government proposes is not an applicable regime on the border,” but rather a regime that after the trial period “is intended to be applicable the whole country and all to all professional transport of goods vehicles registered in the European Union with a minimum tonnage to be fixed. “

the same source also admits that this regime that will apply in only three zones of the border is only intended for a transitional period. The idea is to “test the control systems of the new tax regime”, which will be in effect “only the necessary time to system validation.”

questioned Measure

what appears to be a measure that pleased the associations representing freight companies, it caused a few hours after being announced in April, a wave of criticism. For PSD, the measure raises several problems, including the level of competition between gas stations and discrimination between small and large companies.

Luis Leite Ramos, one of the vice presidents of the parliamentary party bench he stressed the fact that the discounts only contemplate international transport on vehicles with a size greater than 35 tons. For Luis Leite Ramos, are thus out all small businesses, “a country that has a number of small and medium large companies.”

ACP also questions

also the Automobile Club of Portugal criticized the discounts were announced by considering that it is a measure “unfair and discriminatory”.

Carlos Barbosa, president of ACP, even questioned the “legal character” the measure, arguing that it is constitutional doubts. He explains: “When the government does the accounts of who wins and who loses lowering taxes on gasoline and taxes in the automotive sector, will realize that it will have the same income, with more people to circulate, more people to spend and pay more taxes to the state. “

he Caldeira Cabral, Minister of economy, reminded the Parliament that there is already a differential treatment for sectors of the economy, citing the” green diesel “for farmers.