Fuel costs in France: the federal government proclaims measures, however no direct support | EUROtoday

Faced with the rise in gas costs attributable to the battle within the Middle East, the federal government introduced, Monday March 23, money circulation help measures for the transport, fishing and agricultural sectors, however with out direct support on the pump, and requested refiners if they may “rapidly increase” their manufacturing.

He due to this fact requested refiners to guage “as soon as possible” the capability of their websites in France “to quickly and temporarily increase production of refined products”, in a letter consulted by AFP.

The government’s hope is that these measures will assist “to alleviate the tension on the markets for refined products in Europe and to reduce the tensions on the European markets if this situation were to persist over time”.

The authorities has notably “requested and allowed the Gravenchon refinery to rapidly increase its capacities”, indicated on X the Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, in reference to the positioning positioned close to Le Havre, not too long ago bought by the Canadian power firm North Atlantic.

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He underlines that “the crisis in the Middle East and the tensions around the Strait of Hormuz are driving up energy prices all over the world”, affecting “essential sectors”, comparable to fishing, transport and agriculture, massive customers of gas.

However, the room for maneuver of oil corporations established in France appears very restricted.

“With the technical tool that we currently have, (…) we can go up to a 10% increase in capacity at most,” North Atlantic instructed AFP.

This improve may go “up to 12,000 tonnes” of extra kerosene per 30 days and “up to 15,000 tonnes” of extra diesel per 30 days, “if all conditions are met”, specifies North Atlantic, relating to these assets for which France is probably the most depending on imports.

The nation notably imports 50% of the diesel it consumes. Consumption which rose to 27 million tonnes in 2025, in response to the most recent figures from the French Union of Petroleum Industries (Ufip).

As for TotalEnergies, the principle refiner on French soil, this request will “not lead to an increase in production”, their manufacturing gear being “already at maximum” capability, a sector skilled instructed AFP.

“Measures”

The government, additionally constrained by budgetary self-discipline, shouldn’t be contemplating at this stage reducing gas taxes.

On the opposite hand, he introduced money circulation support measures for sectors – fishing, transport and agriculture – hit onerous by the surge in gas costs following the warfare.

The Ministries of the Sea and Fisheries, that of Transport in addition to that of Agriculture have detailed, in separate press releases, related measures: deferral of social contributions and “staggering of tax deadlines” for corporations that request it, in addition to loans from Bpifrance, the general public funding financial institution.

On the fishermen’s facet, the National Association of Producer Organizations (Anop) and the Union of Fishing Shipowners of France (UAPF) instantly denounced “measures” and demanded actions “meet the situation”, in a joint press launch.

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“Despite repeated commitments, no concrete measures have been put on the table. In these conditions, going to sea amounts to working at a loss: our ships will stop,” for its half, the National Committee for Maritime Fisheries and Marine Farming (CNPMEM) was alarmed.

The National Road Transport Federation (FNTR) additionally requested the State to publish a diesel reference index each two weeks as a substitute of each month, with the intention to mirror adjustments in gas costs extra rapidly in invoices.

A change which shall be adopted “temporarily”, the federal government introduced on Monday, additionally inviting shippers “to reduce their payment deadlines to further support carriers”.

The Ministry of Agriculture additionally indicated that it was in search of “an agreement with banks and distributors, in particular to study support for agricultural production and call for flexibility and flexibility” within the processing of information for corporations in issue.

With AFP