Italy’s Fuel Price Cap: Eni and IP Limit Petrol and Diesel Prices from 28 September
In brief: Since Monday, 28 September 2026, a price cap has been in force at petrol stations in Eni’s Enilive network: petrol costs a maximum of €1.99 and diesel a maximum of €2.19 per litre. Initially for 30 days, with a possible extension until the end of the year. A day later, IP (Italiana Petroli, owned by Azerbaijan’s Socar group since May 2026) also announced its own cap – though without specific pricing for now. Together, the two networks cover around 8,500 of Italy’s roughly 22,000 petrol stations, or just over a third. Petrol station associations accuse the companies of unfair competition, while the government welcomes the move as a voluntary contribution with no new tax. For drivers heading to Venice, this means noticeably cheaper fuel at Eni and (soon) IP stations over the coming weeks.
Eni’s price cap from 28 September: the concrete figures
Oil company Eni has introduced fixed maximum prices for its Enilive network: €1.99 per litre of petrol and €2.19 per litre of diesel. Individual stations may charge less but not exceed the ceiling. The measure initially runs for 30 days, i.e. until 27 October 2026, with an extension to the end of the year possible depending on how the market develops. Eni expects the price support to cost around €100 million per month. For a 50-litre fill-up, that works out to savings of roughly €8.45 on petrol and €9.35 on diesel compared with the previous national road-price average – for VAT-registered businesses the net benefit is smaller because VAT is deductible.
Why now? The background to the price rise
The debate was triggered by a gradual reduction in the state tax break on diesel for the commercial transport sector, which is being cut from 17 to 6.1 cents per litre. Forecasts suggested this would have led to noticeable price increases at the pump even before the actual autumn and winter season began. Eni responded with its own price cap to get ahead of this development. The Italian government has also announced a meeting with domestic refineries for 8 October 2026, focused on increasing production capacity.
IP follows suit – but without specific figures
A day after Eni, IP (Italiana Petroli) also announced its own price cap. The company has belonged to Azerbaijan’s Socar group since 8 May 2026 and operates more than 4,500 petrol stations in Italy. Implementation is to happen “progressively” from 28 September, though IP did not initially name specific price thresholds. An official statement said only that prices would be “set based on various requirements, in order to guarantee the survival of the supply chain” – a notably vaguer formulation than Eni’s. Critics such as Unimpresa chairman Paolo Longobardi point out that a single corporate initiative cannot replace structural fiscal policy. Together with Eni, IP thus covers around 8,500 of Italy’s roughly 22,000 petrol stations – just over a third of the market.
Industry criticism: accusations of unfair competition
Not everyone is reacting positively to the price caps. Petrol station association Figisc describes the measure as one that “throws the market into disarray” and leads to unfair competition. The Assopetroli-Assoenergia association is also sharply critical: its president, Andrea Rossetti, said that even if independent station operators gave up their entire margin, they could never match the corporate groups’ prices. The reason: the cap primarily applies to the groups’ own retail business, not to wholesale – so-called “convenzionati” (affiliated dealers), who have already bought their stock at higher prices, come under additional pressure as a result. Transport association Assotir is calling for further measures and has not ruled out protest action if the underlying problem – the reduced diesel tax break for haulage companies – remains unaddressed. Temporary shortages at individual Eni stations also cannot be ruled out if demand rises sharply because of the lower price.
Politics: a “voluntary contribution” rather than a new tax
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the move an “important signal” and thanked the companies involved. Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani stressed that it was a voluntary contribution from the companies – “no directive from above, no new tax.” From the government’s perspective, the measure is primarily a benefit for consumers, without directly easing the burden on the state budget or on haulage companies. Consumer associations are nonetheless calling for additional, structural measures, since the price caps are voluntary, time-limited and can be withdrawn at any time.
What this means for your drive to Venice
Anyone driving via the A4 (from the Brenner/A22 direction or the Tauern-Villach/A23 direction) to Venice or the upper Adriatic can fill up noticeably more cheaply at Enilive and IP petrol stations over the coming weeks. In practice, that means it’s worth a quick glance at the brand signs at motorway service areas and near the border – Enilive stations are common at Autostrada service areas (Autogrill sites) and in larger towns, while IP stations can be recognised by their blue-and-white logo. Since the Eni cap currently only runs until 27 October 2026 and an extension is not yet confirmed, the savings mainly apply to trips in October; a possible extension to the end of the year would also benefit travellers in the pre-Christmas period. A detour just for the price cap generally isn’t worth it given savings of around €8 to €9 per fill-up – but anyone filling up at an Enilive or IP station anyway will pay noticeably less during this period than at independent stations or competitors without their own cap. For basic information on driving to Venice, tolls, parking and alternatives, see Getting to Venice 2026: Train, Plane, Car, Bus & the Day-Visitor Fee.