Overview

• The Länder have submitted a Bundesrat proposal to restrict petrol and diesel price increases at filling stations to once daily, with price cuts allowed at any time.
• The plan is modeled on Austria’s system, where stations may raise prices once at noon, and it is presented as a way to make costs more predictable for motorists.
• The application follows a Bundeskartellamt/Markttransparenzstelle report documenting roughly 18–22 price changes per station per day, up from about 4–5 in 2012.
• The Bundesrat is expected to refer the initiative to committees on 17 October, and press reports cite chamber sources saying prospects for a Länder decision are good, though federal action remains open.
• The Tankstellen-Interessenverband backs the measure, arguing it would calm volatile pricing and reduce the volume of price data stations must report to the transparency office.