The government has invited the majority to withdraw the amendments to the tax decree, being examined by the Senate Finance Committee, which asked to increase the amount of aid to hauliers struggling with high diesel prices. The reason is to be found in the request for additional funding, equal to 100 million euros, as the necessary resources are lacking.
The amendments, presented by Fratelli d’Italia and Lega, aimed to give additional support to hauliers during the race. But after the executive’s stoppage, the senators who signed the amendments announced in the commission their intention to withdraw them.
A decision that brought the trucking sector to a halt. Unatras (National Union of Goods Road Transport Associations) thus confirmed the national shutdown from 25 to 29 May, after having already announced it on the 7th.
The issue of fuels
It all stems from the escalation of diesel prices, which have remained steadily above 2 euros per liter for months, thanks to the international crisis in the energy markets. For each heavy vehicle in circulation, the additional annual cost has been estimated at around 9,000 euros, an unsustainable figure for the vast majority of small and medium-sized freight transport companies.
The government responded with Legislative Decree no. 33 of 18 March 2026, which provided for a temporary reduction in excise duties and an extraordinary tax credit for companies in the sector, calculated on the increased expenditure incurred between March and May 2026 compared to February prices, within a maximum limit of 100 million euros. A decree approved at the last minute which, at least in intention, should have stopped the emergency. But the international situation remained tense and the effects of the measure were minimal.
On 7 May 2026, all the road transport trade associations signed a joint letter addressed to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, asking for an urgent meeting at Palazzo Chigi. Meanwhile, a new fuel decree has become law, without however substantial changes to the resources and above all no aid to the road haulage sector, with the Government stopping the amendments due to lack of coverage.
What changes for citizens and hauliers
For hauliers, failure to renew aid translates into an immediate and unsustainable increase in operating costs. With diesel fuel at record prices and cost increases compared to pre-crisis levels, without the extraordinary tax credit many small and medium-sized businesses find themselves having to choose between working at a loss and stopping.
For citizens, the consequences risk being equally concrete, even if less immediate. Road transport moves almost all the goods circulating in Italy; a strike from May 25 to 29, 2026 could cause empty shelves, slow deliveries and increases in consumer prices.
The strike of May 25th
A decision greeted with disappointment by the trade associations, which thus confirmed the national shutdown starting from 25 May 2026 and until 29 May. The decision had already been taken on May 7 by Unatras, but there was hope that the new fuel decree would help the transport sector and thus lead to the cancellation of the strike. But the help did not arrive and now the stop is confirmed.
Unatras links the mobilization to the excessive burden generated by the increase in diesel prices, which according to the organization risks making the continuation of services unsustainable for some of the participating companies.
