Status: 09/12/2022 10:03 a.m
After the end of the tank discount, the Germans have to pay particularly high prices for petrol and diesel compared to other EU countries. The Federal Statistical Office sees supply bottlenecks and the Ukraine war as the main causes.
Motorists in Germany have to pay significantly more for fuel than in all neighboring EU countries. On September 5, a liter of Super E5 cost an average of 2.07 euros a day and a liter of diesel cost 2.16 euros, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office. Gasoline was therefore cheaper than at the end of May before the start of the tank discount, and diesel was more expensive.
On September 5, the petrol prices were only in the neighboring countries of Denmark with 2.04 euros and the Netherlands with 2.01 euros per liter as high as in Germany. In Poland, Luxembourg, France, the Czech Republic, Belgium and Austria, they were significantly lower at 1.38 to 1.74 euros. When it came to the price of diesel, the difference was nine to 55 cents: in Denmark, a liter of diesel cost 2.07 euros, in Poland 1.61 euros.
With the tank discount, the federal government had reduced the energy tax on fuels for four months until the end of August. Including VAT, that meant a saving of 35.16 cents on petrol and 16.71 cents on diesel.
Before the introduction of the discount on May 30, according to statistics, premium gasoline E5 was only more expensive in the neighboring countries of Denmark and the Netherlands than in Germany. A liter cost 2.21 euros at the time. For diesel, 2.04 euros per liter were due at the end of May. According to statistics, the prices for diesel at German petrol stations have been higher since August 26 than before the introduction of the tank discount.
“Many causes”
According to the Federal Statistical Office, there are many reasons for the different developments. “In addition to delivery bottlenecks, the lack of diesel imports from Russia as a result of the war in Ukraine is likely to play a role.”
Overall, fuel prices are significantly higher than before the start of the war at the end of February. On February 21, a liter of E5 still cost 1.80 euros and diesel 1.66 euros.