13/10/2026 (Index Box) - Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, commenting on X on Monday 12 October after meeting with fuel distributors, said the state is taking responsibility in a crisis it did not choose. He added that the reduction would also affect domestic heating oil, diesel sold to transport professionals, and off-road diesel used by farmers, fishers, and construction workers.

The measure, scheduled to last until the end of January, is funded by selling at cost price 10 million barrels of diesel from strategic reserves that were purchased before the start of the war in Iran at 0.28 euro per litre.

Government intervention appeared unavoidable given France's position among the European Union countries with the highest pump prices. As of 5 October, diesel averaged 2.355 euros per litre in France, according to the comparison site fuel-price, well above the EU-27 average of 2.149 euros. Only Finland at 2.553 euros, the Netherlands at 2.506 euros, and Denmark at 2.488 euros were more expensive.

Elevated pump prices are not confined to France. Belgium recorded an average of 2.349 euros per litre, Germany 2.254 euros, and Italy 2.273 euros. Spain was among the lowest, with a litre at 1.918 euros.

 Pump prices alone do not capture the burden on motorists, as wage levels also matter. A worker on Spain's average wage could buy 54.2 litres of diesel with one day's pay, while in France one working day bought 52.8 litres, compared with 47 litres in Italy and 62.3 litres in Germany. For French drivers, a full tank equalled about 4.4% of the average net monthly wage, close to the European average.

Petrol prices followed a similar pattern. France was among the most expensive countries, with an average of 2.212 euros per litre on 5 October, above the EU average of 2.006 euros but below Denmark at 2.605 euros, the Netherlands at 2.432 euros, and Finland at 2.370 euros. When petrol prices were measured against the cost of living, France was near the European average, with one day's work buying 56.2 litres versus an EU average of 57.4 litres.

 Heating costs are also a concern for households using heating oil as winter approaches. On 5 October, 1,000 litres of domestic heating oil sold for 1,907.08 euros in France, which was 165.14 euros more than the EU average and 179.09 euros more than in the euro area, according to European Commission figures.

In recent months, French prices tracked those in Portugal and Italy, where 1,000 litres of domestic heating oil now sell for 2,204 euros and 2,063.10 euros respectively. Germany kept heating oil more affordable at 1,726.40 euros per 1,000 litres, while Belgium and Spain were cheaper still at 1,533.40 and 1,495.34 euros, or 19.6% and 21.6% less than in France.

https://www.indexbox.io/blog/france-to-cut-diesel-prices-by-18-cents-per-litre-from-1-november-using-strategic-reserves/