The investigation, prompted by a whistleblower’s complaint, revealed that the main oil companies coordinated to fix the value of the bio component factored into fuel prices.

The Italian Competition Authority has closed its investigation into Eni, Esso, Ip, Iplom, Q8, Saras and Tamoil (for the latter, also in relation to the conduct of Repsol, which it has now acquired), the most important oil operators in Italy. The Authority’s findings revealed an agreement restricting competition in the sale of motor fuel involving all companies except Iplom and Repsol. As a consequence, the companies were fined 936,659,087 euro in total. The Authority imposed a fine of 336,214,660 euro on Eni, 129,363,561 euro on Esso, 163,669,804 euro on Ip, 172,592,363 euro on Q8, 43,788,944 euro on Saras and 91,029,755 euro on Tamoil.

Following a complex investigation, prompted by a whistleblower’s complaint, the Authority found that Eni, Esso, Ip, Q8, Saras and Tamoil coordinated to set the value of the bio component factored into fuel prices (a component introduced by the companies to comply with obligations under current legislation). The cartel began on 1 January 2020 and continued until 30 June 2023. The value of this important price component rose from around 20€/m³ in 2019 to around 60€/m³ in 2023.

According to the Authority, the companies implemented parallel price increases – largely coinciding – which were driven by direct or indirect information exchanges among them. The cartel was further aided by the disclosure of the exact value of the bio component in numerous articles published in “Staffetta Quotidiana”, a well-known industry daily, also as a result of information sent directly to the newspaper by Eni.

Rome, 26 September 2025

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