{
  "id": 10864032,
  "title": "Diesel taxes in Europe: Which countries charge the most?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/diesel-taxes-in-europe-which-countries-charge-the-most",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-30T05:00:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews",
    "slug": "euronews",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/2026/09/30/diesel-taxes-in-europe-which-countries-charge-the-most"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Diesel now costs the most at pumps across Europe, with the EU weighted average price reaching €2.226 per litre as of September 21, 2026. This represents a 13.4-cent increase from Euro-super 95 petrol and a 40% rise since late February, primarily due to disruptions in energy flows following the Iran war. Taxes on diesel average €0.861 per litre, accounting for 38.6% of the pump price, compared to €0.981 for petrol, which is only 12 cents higher. The primary source of tax on diesel is excise duty, with additional levies and value-added tax (VAT) applied. Countries like Greece, Austria, and Lithuania have the highest taxes on diesel per litre, with Greece imposing a 38.4% tax rate, nearly identical to the difference in tax between diesel and petrol. The European Union's minimum excise duty on diesel is 33 cents per litre, while governments often maintain a higher rate to support businesses that use diesel. Despite calls for reform, a 2021 proposal to tax fuels based on energy content rather than volume failed to gain unanimous support from member states.",
  "summary": "Diesel has overtaken petrol as Europe's most expensive fuel, at a record €2.226 per litre. Yet EU governments still tax it about 12 cents less than petrol.",
  "key_points": [
    "Diesel costs most in Europe at €2.226 per litre as of September 21, 2026",
    "Diesel taxes average €0.861 per litre, 38.6% of pump price",
    "Greece imposes highest diesel tax at 38.4%, nearly equal to diesel-petrol tax difference"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}