The National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) detected "in less than a hundred" (around 0.8%) of the 12,200 gas stations in Spain "anomalies" in the application of the discount of 20 cents / liter approved by the Government to lower fuel prices.
According to the president of the CNMC, Cani Fernández, they are not detecting price increases that have supposed to "eat" said bonus approved by the Government on April 1 and that is expected to be extended today. The person in charge of the CNMC affirmed that what is taking place "is a containment of margins" and "even a reduction", in a percentage that she did not specify.
The regulatory body used a tool for this supervision, which it calls "high frequency indicator", which allows it to verify the current price of fuel at gas stations compared to those that existed previously, as well as those that exist internationally, among others. other indicative. This allows the CNMC to obtain purchase prices and compare them with sales prices.
According to Fernández, if the incentive had not been applied, fuel today would be 20 cents per liter more expensive and he did not rule out that the price "continues to rise", taking into account measures such as the reduction in taxation in the United States, which It will foreseeably generate a greater demand for fuel.
Regarding possible penalties for gas stations that fail to comply with prices, he stated that the reason for this anomaly must first be verified and, if it is not justified, they will have to return the bonus.
