Oil prices: Decree 139 is not converted and is repealed

Decree-Law no. 139 of August 5, 2026, regarding petroleum prices, was not converted into law and was repealed by Article 1, paragraph 2, of Law no. 166 of September 25, 2026. The official communication is published in the Official Gazette of the Italian Republic, General Series no. 231 of October 5, 2026, with reference 26A05269. Acts and measures adopted remain valid, and effects already produced are preserved.

The decree, titled “Urgent provisions regarding petroleum prices connected to the continuation of the new crisis of international markets,” had been published in the Official Gazette, General Series no. 180 of August 5, 2026, with reference 26G00162, and entered into force the day following its publication. The measure bears the signature of the President of the Republic Mattarella and was issued on the proposal of the President of the Council Meloni and the ministers Giorgetti (Economy and Finance), Pichetto Fratin (Environment and Energy Security), and Salvini (Infrastructure and Transport), with the Minister of Justice Nordio.

The law that repeals it, 166/2026, converts with amendments Decree-Law no. 133 of July 27, 2026, containing urgent provisions regarding petroleum prices connected to the further crisis of international markets and provisions regarding ILVA S.p.A. under extraordinary administration. The repeal of Decree 139 is therefore part of a broader regulatory intervention addressing the same energy sector.

What the repealed decree provided

The text consisted of three articles and focused the intervention on fuel costs. The main measures were:

redetermination of the excise duty rate on gas oils or diesel used as fuel, from August 7 to 24, 2026, in the amount of 532.90 euros per thousand liters;
the same measure, for the same period, for paraffinic diesels obtained by synthesis or hydrotreating (HVO) and for biodiesel released for consumption as such as fuels;
amendment of Article 3, paragraph 1, of Decree-Law 33/2026, converted by Law 79/2026: the period “from March to July” becomes “from March to August” and the limit of 322 million euros rises to 364.1 million;
an increase of 45.9 million euros for 2027 for the Fund referred to in Article 10, paragraph 5, of Decree-Law 282/2004.

Costs and financial coverage

The costs of the first two paragraphs of Article 1 were estimated at 190.2 million euros for 2026 and 2 million for 2028; those of paragraph 4 at 42.1 million for 2026. Coverage was ensured by reductions in commitment and cash appropriations and by the special capital account fund, with allocations divided among thirteen ministries, including:

economy and finance, 65 million euros;
enterprises and made in Italy, 14.5 million;
labor and social policies, 11.6 million;
health, 10 million;
university and research, 9.8 million;
foreign affairs and international cooperation, 9 million.

Preservation of effects already produced

Article 1, paragraph 2, of Law 166/2026 specifies that “acts and measures adopted remain valid and the effects produced and legal relationships arisen on the basis of the same Decree-Law no. 139 of 2026 are preserved.” The excise duty reductions concretely applied in the period from August 7-24, 2026, are therefore not overturned by the repeal, which operates for the future.

For consumers, distributors, and road transport companies, the effect is neutral regarding the past and significant for the future: the tax benefit on fuels launched in August remains acquired for the days it was in force, but there is no longer any regulatory basis to extend it. Those operating in the fuel market must now look to the provisions regarding petroleum prices contained in Law 166/2026 and Decree 133/2026, and no longer to Decree 139.

Official Gazette of the Italian Republic, General Series no. 231 of October 5, 2026 — Failure to convert Decree-Law August 5, 2026, no. 139 (26A05269). Decree-Law August 5, 2026, no. 139, published in the Official Gazette, General Series no. 180 of August 5, 2026 (26G00162).