The Confederation of Authorised Operators and Carriers of Romania (COTAR) is calling on the Government to reduce excise duties on diesel and petrol by at least half in order to support transport, industry and food consumption, with a view to avoiding an economic crisis amid threats on the international fuel market.
'The Minister of Energy has revised the statement he made a day earlier regarding the possibility that the price of petrol and diesel in Romania could rise to 10 lei per litre if the price of a barrel of oil exceeds 110 dollars, against the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. Although he had initially declared that rumours of such an increase in fuel prices were outright lies'. We want to be informed about the steps being taken at government level to absorb this shock, because the Energy Minister's mere statement about alleged measures is of no help to us, especially after we saw how the minister who should already have the situation under control contradicted himself within less than 24 hours on the same topic (...) The Confederation of Authorised Operators and Carriers of Romania is calling for urgent measures from the Government to avoid an unprecedented economic crisis, in the context of the threat on the international fuel market, which could have a devastating impact on Romania. One immediate measure could be to reduce excise duties on petrol and diesel by at least half, in order to support transport, industry and food consumption,' the organisation said in a press release sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday.
According to the same source, excise duty on diesel reached a historic high of 466 euros per 1,000 litres (approximately 2,317.59 lei per 1,000 litres) last year, significantly above the European minimum of 330 euros. 'Road hauliers have requested a refund of 150 euros per 1,000 litres (approximately 0.75 lei per litre), citing a loss of competitiveness due to the high level of taxation in Romania compared with the EU average,' the source notes.
'We understand that the Romanian state has so far benefited from the lack of reaction from Romanians, collecting very large sums of money for the budget from the over-taxation of fuels, but in the current situation, the first measure the Government must take is to cut excise duties by at least half in order to support Romania's economy. Increases in fuel excise duties directly influence the final price paid by consumers, not only for petrol and diesel but for all goods and services, which in the current situation could lead to the most serious economic crisis, given that Romania has a consumption-based economy,' said COTAR President Vasile Stefanescu in the statement.
The professional organisation also highlights that excise duty on petrol rose as of January 1, 2025 to 2,528 lei per 1,000 litres, compared with the previous level of 2,382 lei, which, alongside possible VAT increases, has contributed to higher pump prices, with additional impact expected in 2026, at times exceeding 8 lei per litre depending on market developments.
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