)rotection money
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TALY has imposed a new fuel tax on vehicles leaving the ountry with full or partially full fuel tanks.
The tax was introduced on January 1, without advance yarning, in order to protect Italy's diesel and petrol supplies by liscouraging drivers from filling their tanks as they leave Italy.
Italy's diesel is amongst the heapest in Europe, costing he equivalent of around 14p ,er litre. In comparison, diesel n France and Switzerland osts 27p and 35p per litre.
A limit of 50 litres (about 11 ;allons) has been set as the naximum amount of fuel that :ommercial vehicles can take )ut of the country. If the Thicle's tank has more than his, the driver must pay a tax )f 1000 lire (55p) for each litre wer the limit.
If he fails to declare the corTet amount, he is liable to a Me of between 250,000 and 500,000 lire (£139-£278). )rivers who cannot pay are cept at the frontier with their vehicles until the money is obtained.
The International Road Transport Union has hit out at the new tax, saying it hinders international traffic. IRU also protests about the lack of warning given. Many hauliers en route were caught with full tanks and large amounts of duty to pay.
The IRU also points out that the limit is so low that some vehicles may run into difficulties on gradients with 11 gallons or less in the tank. It wants Italy to scrap the new tax or at least relax it slightly to allow hauliers stranded at the border, with insufficient cash to pay the tax, to continue.