Lithuania mulls cutting excise duties on fuel, vice-minister says

  • 2022-03-14
  • BNS/TBT Staff

VILNIUS – The Lithuanian government is considering lowering excise duties on fuel in a bid to bring down soaring gasoline and diesel prices, Deputy Finance Minister Gediminas Norkunas said on Monday. 

"I cannot discuss anything until measures have been approved by the Cabinet, but yes, we are looking at possible measures," Norkunas told the parliamentary Committee on Budget and Finance. 

"If the excise tax were reduced to the minimum level [...], the price of gasoline would probably decrease by 13 [euro] cents [per liter] and that of diesel fuel would go down by 5 cents," he said.  

The European Commission does not currently allow a VAT reduction on fuel, but it is already considering the issue, according to Norkunas. 

"Until the European Commission makes its decision, an independent decision by a member state to cut VAT in violation of the directive could lead to sanctions," he said.  

Budget revenue losses from possible excise tax cuts are estimated at around 127 million euros.  

The proposed minimum excise duty rates would be set at 359 euros per 1,000 liters for gasoline and 330 euros for diesel, instead of 466 euros and 372 euros, respectively. 

The government has previously approved a plan to increase the excise duty on diesel to 410 euros per 1,000 liters from 2023, 466 euros from 2024 and 500 euros from 2025.