Italy road haulage decree: from 24 October the diesel share goes on invoices and contracts

TUESDAY, 10 NOVEMBER 2026

Under decree 193/2026 the minimum fuel share set by the Ministry applies even without a written contract. Diesel rose 31.8% between February and October.

The road haulage fuel surcharge in Italy has followed new rules since 24 October 2026: decree 193/2026 changes how the rise in diesel prices passes from hauliers to the companies that pay for transport. Where there is no written contract, the haulier's invoice must show the fuel share, with a minimum percentage set by the Ministry of Infrastructure; in new written contracts the cost of diesel becomes a mandatory element.

Road haulage fuel surcharge: what the decree says

Decree-law no. 193 of 23 October 2026, published in Official Gazette no. 247 the same day, contains urgent measures for road haulage, agriculture and fishing. Parliament must convert it into law within sixty days, so by 22 December 2026, and the text can still change at that stage.

For companies buying road transport services, the key part is article 2, which deals with adjusting the transport price to the cost of diesel. The adjustment clause already existed: the decree makes it easier to apply and widens its scope.

• Relationships without a written contract: the haulier's invoice must show the share of diesel cost, and the ministerial minimum share applies on a mandatory basis from 24 October 2026.
• Reference percentages: the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport sets minimum and maximum values, broken down by vehicle weight class.
• New written contracts, signed from 24 October 2026: they must state the fuel cost at signing and its share of the service; the ministerial values act as the benchmark.
• Tax credit for hauliers, fuel bought from 1 September to 5 October 2026: up to 60 million euros, to be offset against taxes by 31 December 2027.
• Tax credit for hauliers, fuel bought from March to August 2026: funding rises by 66.4 million euros.

How much diesel rose in 2026

The starting point is the pump price. According to weekly data from Italy's Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE), also used in the European Commission's Weekly Oil Bulletin, diesel in Italy cost 1.702 euros a litre on 23 February 2026 and 2.244 euros on 19 October: an increase of 31.8%. The year's peak came on 28 September, at 2.351 euros a litre, 38.1% above the February level.

Fuel can account for about 30% of a haulier's operating costs, according to the paper Confindustria presented on 3 November to the Senate's 8th Committee. Assuming a 25% share, the industry association estimates the average monthly adjustment recognised in transport charges at 5.7%, with amounts shown on invoices. For the flour milling and meat industries alone, fuel surcharges paid between March and October 2026 are estimated at almost 50 million euros. These are Confindustria estimates, not official data.

The problem for shippers

The tax credit goes to hauliers, not to the companies that pay them. Confindustria notes that the tax benefit does not automatically lower the rates paid by client companies and asks for an equivalent measure for shippers, based on the share of the diesel increase actually paid and documented on invoices.

On article 2, the association asks for the ministerial parameters to be updated monthly rather than quarterly, for adjustments to work both upwards and downwards, and for written contracts that already include a review based on MASE data to be excluded from the ministerial values. It also flags a practical issue: until the first parameters are published, invoices issued in the meantime lack a clear reference. These are proposed amendments: they become rules only if they make it into the conversion law.

What it means for importers

Companies importing by sea or air almost always also pay for a road leg, from the port or airport to the warehouse, and often for distribution to customers. The decree does not say how much these items will rise: that depends on the percentages the Ministry has yet to publish and on the length of the routes. It does suggest that the fuel share will be more visible and less negotiable, especially where there is no written contract.

A few checks worth making now:

First, relationships with hauliers that have no written contract. From 24 October the minimum diesel share applies anyway: it makes sense to ask the haulier how it is calculated and to check that it appears separately on the invoice.

Second, contracts coming up for renewal. A written contract signed after 24 October must state the diesel price at signing and its share of the service. Setting these two values clearly, with the price source and the review frequency, makes adjustments verifiable in both directions.

Third, delivered prices. When buying from China on terms that include delivery in Italy, it is worth asking the forwarder whether and how the new fuel share enters the quote and how long the price stays valid.

What happens next

The text is before the Senate and conversion is expected by 22 December 2026. The ministerial percentages by vehicle class and the implementing decree for the credit on September and October fuel are still to be published. Companies with many road deliveries should follow both deadlines before renewing contracts for early 2027.

With La Merce, importers from China get quotes that separate international freight from the road leg in Italy, so the diesel share required by decree 193/2026 is visible before the order and not only on the invoice.

Let's talk about your productprojectconceptgoalbrandproductprojectconceptgoalbrandproductprojectconceptgoalbrandproduct