Poland cuts fuel prices, Germany raises alarm over unfair competition

Translated from Polish using artificial intelligence — DeepL.

From 1 April, state-imposed price caps on petrol and diesel have been in force in Poland. At the same time, VAT on fuel has been reduced from 23 per cent to 8 per cent, and the energy tax has been cut to the minimum level in the EU. These measures form part of state intervention in response to rising energy prices linked to the geopolitical situation.

The German Road Transport, Logistics and Waste Management Association (BGL) has openly criticised these measures. In a statement issued on 1 April, the organisation highlights the potentially serious consequences for German transport companies. According to the BGL, the new regulations could significantly distort competition in the European transport market.

According to BGL’s calculations, the net price of diesel in Poland is currently around €0.29 per litre lower than in Germany. For transport companies, this translates into tangible costs. With a monthly mileage of 10,000 kilometres and an average fuel consumption of 30 litres per 100 km, the additional expenditure amounts to around €870 per vehicle. For larger fleets, the scale increases very rapidly. For a company with 50 lorries, this means over €500,000 in additional costs per year.

The German CO2 emissions charging system has come in for particular criticism. From the end of 2023, both a CO2 component in road tolls for lorries and an emissions charge added to the price of diesel will apply. According to the BGL, this represents an additional cost of between €0.17 and €0.20 per litre.

Whilst Poland has opted for direct intervention in the fuel market, no comparable protective measures have yet been introduced in Germany. According to the industry, this is leading to ever-greater competitive imbalances within the EU single market.

Source: trans.info