Fuel: what other European countries are doing to cushion rising prices

The French government is strengthening the aid system at the pump.

From this Thursday, September 1, a discount of 30 cents per liter is applied to the prices charged in service stations, replacing the reduction of 18 cents that was applied so far.

This solution, resulting from a compromise with the right during the examination of the law of purchasing power by the Parliament, will then gradually lose in intensity.

Thus, the reduction will increase to ten centimes per liter from November until the end of December.

The French government is not the only one giving a boost to consumers affected by the increase in fuel prices, a consequence of the invasion of Ukraine.

Several neighboring countries have taken similar measures.

Overview.

Read alsoFuels: prices at the pump continue to fall

In Spain

The Spanish government decided in June to strengthen its direct aid plan following the war in Ukraine.

Worth 9 billion euros, it provides for a reduction of 20 euro cents per liter on the price of fuel.

This reduction must apply until 31 December.

At the same time, the State will apply a reduction of 50% on the cost of monthly subscriptions for public transport which depend on the State, and 30% for transport under local authorities and regions.

In Italy

In Italy, Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who is to leave the head of government at the end of September, is stepping up aid measures in the face of the energy crisis during his last days in power.

At the beginning of August, he thus had a package of aid voted to the tune of 14 billion euros.

This provides for the extension of the reduction of 30 cents on prices at the pump until September 20, when it was originally due to end on August 21, three months after its introduction.

In Germany

For its part, the German executive has chosen to focus its aid measures on the summer months.

From the beginning of June to the end of August, the Germans indeed benefited from a reduction in taxes applied to fuel, ranging from 17 cents for diesel to 35 cents for gasoline.

This measure having just come to an end, the Germans saw this Thursday the prices increase significantly at the pump.

The German antitrust authority has also indicated that it will closely monitor price developments over the coming weeks, because the way in which they are set at the pump obeys in its view a process that is not very transparent.

The German government has also introduced a monthly ticket in the amount of 9 euros for access to public transport, over the same period from June to August.

Elected officials are now calling for the extension of the measure, which would have saved the emission of 1.8 million tonnes of CO2.

In Hungary

Hungary moved quickly to ease the cost of fuel for households by announcing a price cap as early as November 2021, even before the invasion of Ukraine.

This measure, supposed to remain in force until October, was refocused this summer on a more restricted category of motorists.

Private vehicles, agricultural vehicles and taxis are now eligible for the price limitation, excluding vehicles owned by companies.