Carlos Barbosa, FIA Representative to the European Commission for the interests of motor sport, met with José Manuel Barroso, the European Commission (EC) President, to discuss the Portuguese fuel market and investments in European road infrastructure.

During the meeting, the pair discussed a variety of fuel-related issues, including several topics raised by Barbosa on behalf of the FIA, such as fuel prices for motor vehicles throughout Europe. Barbosa explained that in both Portugal and Europe, fuel prices no longer seem to follow the global fluctuations in oil price. Furthermore, lack of transparency in fuel price information continues to confuse European consumers.

To explain this point, Barbosa, who is also President of the Automóvel Club de Portugal (ACP), presented an ACP document entitled ‘Agreement and Competition Deficit in the Portuguese Fuel Market,’ which examines the problems of fuel prices and their anti-competitive nature. Barbosa has already presented similar arguments to the Portuguese government, the Portuguese competition authority and the EU competition commissioner, Neelie Kroes, only to be offered lengthy studies and inquiries.

In explaining the ACP’s motives in going directly to the EC President with this matter, Barbosa said: “The fuel subject, in Portugal and Europe, is too important to be lost in bureaucracies and we therefore ask for a quick and rigorous answer on this matter.”

The move appears to have been successful with Barbosa walking away from the meeting with a guarantee that the European Commission presidency will closely follow the inquiry led by the competition commissioner to stop any anti-competitive behaviour as soon as possible.