Enlarge image
gas station (icon)
Photo: Sebastian Kahnert / dpa
Prices at Germany's gas stations have fallen significantly compared to last week.
A liter of petrol currently costs 1.944 euros on average nationwide, which is 4.6 cents less than in the previous week.
The diesel price even fell by 8.3 cents and is currently 1.968 euros.
The ADAC called the price drop "noticeable" - but also necessary in view of the "excessive level" over the past few weeks.
The price reductions are therefore not enough, the potential for this is there.
Higher prices than in the rest of Europe
Only at the beginning of the week did the Federal Statistical Office calculate that only a few countries in Europe have higher fuel prices than Germany.
EU-wide, the local diesel price is only exceeded by Finland and Sweden.
The Federal Statistical Office used, among other things, the diesel price as of April 4th, 2.06 euros per liter.
That is 45 cents more than in neighboring Poland.
Diesel is also much cheaper in other neighboring countries than in Germany, for example in Luxembourg at 1.76 euros, Austria at 1.84 euros and France at 1.89 euros.
With a falling price difference, the neighboring countries are followed by Denmark and the Czech Republic with 1.93 euros, Belgium with 2.02 euros and the Netherlands with 2.04 euros.
The cheapest diesel in the EU is found in Malta at 1.21 euros per liter and in Hungary at 1.42 euros.
In Germany, taxes make up a large part of fuel prices.
According to the ADAC, 48 percent of the fuel bill in Germany ends up with the state, and 39 percent for diesel.
The remainder pays for the actual costs of the product, from the source of crude oil to transport to Germany and further processing to the pump, as well as the CO₂ tax.
The mineral oil companies also want to make a profit.
The fuel prices in the past few weeks have not followed the oil price consistently. At the end of March, for example, the prices initially remained high, although the price of crude oil had long since fallen.
oil price rises
If you want to travel over the holidays, you should use the current price dip to fill up your tank.
Because of the high demand, the fuel price should rise again during the holidays.
This is also supported by the fact that the oil price is currently rising again.
A barrel (159 liters) of the North Sea Brent cost 106.70 US dollars on Wednesday afternoon.
That was $2.06 more than the day before.
The price of a barrel of the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) variety rose by $1.78 to $102.38.
Oil prices had already risen significantly on Tuesday.
mamk/dpa/AFP