The Resolution seeks to liberalize the LPG market, since it allows prices to be determined by supply and demand
The Ministry of Energy, under the orbit of the Ministry of Economy, made a series of modifications to the current regulations in search of the deregulation of Liquefied Petroleum Gaskey for the bottles used by households.
As mentioned in the official text, these provisions seek to transform the market towards a “more competitive, efficient and sustainable” model by reducing state intervention and establishing new mechanisms that guarantee “fair, accessible prices that reflect real costs.”
The Resolution 15/2025 published this Friday in the Official Gazette maintains that the objective is “to gradually eliminate regulated maximum prices, allowing the market to determine prices under supply and demand”. Reference prices are maintained as a non-binding guide.” And he adds that, “Through the Homes Program with Carafes, Subsidies will be provided to low-income households who do not have gas through the network, to guarantee them access to LPG bottles at differential prices.
It also mentions that fractionation companies will have greater freedom to operate, eliminating regulated allocations of quotas and loading ports. “A supervision scheme is implemented to ensure coherence between the operational capacity of market players and the volumes acquired, publishing key indicators such as the Maximum Allowed Volume (VMP) on the official website,” he adds.
It concludes that specific sections of the General Regulation that regulated aspects now considered barriers, “such as the centralized allocation of quotas,” are eliminated.
The key points
- Deregulation of the LPG market: The aim is to move from a system with maximum reference prices set by the State to a market where prices are determined by supply and demand. This is based on the idea of promoting free competition and market efficiency.
- Non-binding Reference Prices: Reference prices will be maintained for the bottles, but these will only be a guide for the market and will not be mandatory for commercial actors. The goal is for consumers to have an idea of reasonable prices, but without directly intervening in pricing. These prices will be published on the website of the Ministry of Economy.
- Priority to internal supply: is required at production companies that prioritize the continuous and sufficient supply of the domestic market, especially for domestic consumption.
- Elimination of regulations on loading ports and allocation of contributions and quotas: The regulations that assigned loading ports to fractionators and that distributed contributions to producers and quotas to fractionators are eliminated. This seeks to give greater freedom to market players to operate according to their needs.
- Maximum Allowable Volume (VMP): The concept of VMP is introduced for fractionators, which is a limit to the amount of LPG they can acquire, based on their operational capacity, container park and a maximum turnover rate. This index differs according to the sales volume of each fractionator. The Ministry of Energy will publish the VMP of each company on its website, along with relevant information.
- Modifications to the Homes with Carafes Program (HOGAR): aspects of the HOGAR program are modified, mainly with regard to the definition and application of reference prices and subsidies. The program will continue to focus on subsidizing low-income households that do not have access to gas through networks.
Source: Ambito
