The Federation of Romanian Transport Operators (FORT) calls on the Romanian Government to urgently adopt measures to limit the impact of the increase in oil prices on fuels and on the national economy.
In the context of geopolitical tensions and the volatility of international energy markets, there is a risk of an accelerated increase in fuel prices at the pump, which would generate negative chain effects on the transport sector, on logistics costs and, implicitly, on the prices of goods and services in the economy.
In this context, FORT calls on the Romanian Government to adopt the following measures:
- Partial refund of excise duty to transporters
FORT calls for the inclusion in the State Budget for 2026 of the amounts necessary for the partial refund of the excise duty of 65 bani/liter to transporters, for the entire year 2026, an essential measure for maintaining the competitiveness of Romanian transporters in relation to operators from other European Union member states.
- Temporary reduction of excise duty on diesel
FORT proposes the establishment of a temporary mechanism for adjusting excise duty on diesel, compared to a reference level of 70 dollars/barrel of oil.
Thus, in the event that the price of oil exceeds this threshold, the excise duty should be reduced proportionally, so that the price of diesel at the pump remains stable, and the increase in the cost of the barrel is absorbed by the corresponding reduction of the excise duty.
- Temporary capping of fuel prices
FORT calls for the analysis of temporary capping of fuel prices, in accordance with European legislation and with the existing examples in other European Union Member States, such as Slovenia, where such measures have been implemented to protect the economy and consumers in periods of extreme volatility of the energy market.
“The increase in fuel prices does not only affect transporters, but the entire economy. Every extra leu at the pump is reflected in the price of products, in logistics costs and, ultimately, in the purchasing power of Romanians. That is why it is essential for the state to intervene intelligently and temporarily to stabilize the market.
”We ask the Government to include in the 2026 budget the amounts necessary to return the excise tax of 65 bani per liter to transporters and to adopt a flexible mechanism for adjusting the excise tax, in relation to the evolution of the oil price. At the same time, the temporary capping of the fuel price, following the model of other European countries, must be analyzed with maximum responsibility.
Without these measures, we risk that the pressure on transport costs will turn into a new spiral of price increases throughout the economy,” said Beniamin Lucescu, president of the Federation of Romanian Transport Operators (FORT).
FORT expresses its willingness to participate in an institutional dialogue with the authorities to identify and quickly implement solutions that would protect the competitiveness of Romanian transporters and economic stability.