Diesel prices reach record levels across Europe
Average EU price has risen by almost 40 per cent since the start of the year.
Diesel and petrol are, on average, more expensive in Europe this week than ever recorded. The rise is affecting consumers and transport companies, while higher refining margins explain part of the recent price movement.
According to European Commission data, average consumer prices for petrol and diesel in the European Union reached record levels this week. A 50-litre tank costs approximately €103 for petrol and €108 for diesel, based on the current averages.
The increase is particularly visible in the trend since January. According to Euronews, the weighted average petrol price rose by around 29 per cent, while diesel became almost 40 per cent more expensive. These are European averages; differences between countries are due, among other things, to taxes, excise duties, distribution costs and the composition of the fuel market.
In Germany, a litre of diesel cost an average of €2.453 on 16 September, Reuters reported, citing figures from motoring association ADAC. Super E10 also reached a record there. The German figures are a snapshot and do not directly indicate what motorists in the Netherlands pay at a specific pump.
Eurostat earlier reported that fuels and lubricants for personal transport in the EU were 16.9 per cent more expensive in July than a year earlier. In the Netherlands, the increase that month was 22 per cent. Eurostat measures the development of consumer prices, not the current price at each individual pump.
Alongside the oil price, refining margins play a role. According to an analysis by ECB experts, they contributed an estimated €0.41 per litre to the diesel price in the eurozone in the third week of September. This is not a prediction that the margin will remain permanently that high; the experts expect the diesel margin to peak in October.
Higher fuel costs feed through into road transport, agriculture and household spending. Governments can influence the price at the pump through excise duties or temporary compensation, but this uses up budgetary headroom and may keep fossil fuels attractive for longer. For consumers, a record price therefore does not automatically mean that all price increases are caused by tax policy.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- According to European sources, fuel prices reached record levels.
- Taxes and excise duties vary by country.
- Refining margins contributed to the recent diesel price.
Left
Arguments Wants to use high fuel costs as an opportunity to phase out fossil-fuel use more quickly, but advocates compensation for low-income households and people with few alternatives.
Values Climate justice, affordability and public investment in public transport.
Consequences Fears that a general cut in excise duties would mainly benefit frequent drivers and companies and slow the energy transition.
Centre
Arguments Wants temporary relief where rising prices hit households and essential sectors hard, combined with targeted investment in alternatives.
Values Purchasing power, practicality and gradual transition.
Consequences Emphasises that prolonged price support is expensive and may weaken the market incentive for more fuel-efficient transport.
Right
Arguments Wants lower taxes on fuel and fewer national levies, so consumers and companies are not burdened with additional costs on top of international price rises.
Values Purchasing power, entrepreneurship and freedom of choice.
Consequences Fears that higher excise duties would damage the competitive position of transport, agriculture and industry.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The figures are linked to a clear source and period. The text distinguishes between EU averages, German daily prices and Eurostat inflation figures.
- confirmed A 50-litre tank costs an average of approximately €103 for petrol and €108 for diesel. — Reported by Euronews on the basis of European Commission data. source
- confirmed The average diesel price has risen by almost 40 per cent since January. — Euronews describes this development for the EU average. source
- confirmed Diesel cost an average of €2.453 per litre in Germany on 16 September. — Reuters referred to the daily ADAC averages. source
- confirmed Fuels and lubricants were 16.9 per cent more expensive in the EU in July 2026 than a year earlier. — Eurostat published this as harmonised consumer price development. source
Editor's note
The European trend and the periods mentioned are well documented. Current pump prices vary by country, location and time; the sources used did not include a precise daily price for the Netherlands.Sources
- Evolution of fuel prices in July 2026 — Eurostat
- EU fuel prices hit records as ECB experts see diesel margins peak — Euronews
- Dieselpreis klettert auf Allzeithoch — onvista, Reuters