Overview
- Parliament approved the measure on Friday, September 25, 2026, and the law will take effect on 1 October and remain in force until 31 December 2026.
- The change cuts the energy tax on petrol and diesel by 14 cents per liter, which reduces the consumer price by about 16.7–17 cents per liter once the lower VAT is applied.
- The federal government expects roughly €2.5 billion in lost tax revenue and agreed that the Länder will cover about half that bill.
- Experts and opposition parties warn the rebate is costly and blunt because past experience showed fuel-tax cuts are not always fully passed to drivers, with analyses finding diesel received only about 12 cents of an earlier roughly 17 cent cut.
- The government used an accelerated parliamentary procedure to push the measure through and has tasked ministers to design a Spritpreisdeckel for early 2027 while state leaders press for targeted support and proposals such as an excess‑profits tax.