Diesel in Spain: CETM calls for the aid to be extended before a collapse (18/09/2026)

The CETM has issued a stark warning: if RDL 18/2026 is not extended, Spanish hauliers will face an extra cost of up to €720 per truck per month on professional diesel alone from 1 October 2026.

The scenario: RDL 18/2026 expires on 30 September

Royal Decree-Law 18/2026, adopted in June 2026, included direct support for road transport to offset fuel price volatility. The measure has an end date — 30 September.

Without an extension: hauliers go back to open market prices, with no cushion. The CETM calculates that as a jump of up to €720 a month per heavy vehicle, depending on how much the truck runs.

Context: costs already high in 2026

Since the start of 2026, Spain has faced:

• Crude oil volatility — geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East
• Refining inefficiency — reduced European capacity
• Fuel taxation — excise duty remains high

RDL 18/2026 created a buffer. Without it, the rise is immediate and severe.

The impact on the sector

Owner-drivers: the operating margin disappears. Many shut down.

Small and medium hauliers: pressure to pass costs to the customer or renegotiate rates — customers refuse, profit collapses.

Large operators: absorb it in the short term, but start cutting less profitable routes.

End consumer: goods prices rise — from food to industrial components.

Alternatives proposed by the CETM

1. Extending RDL 18/2026 to the end of 2026 (their firm recommendation)
2. Cutting VAT on professional diesel (from 21% to 5%)
3. Faster fuel duty refunds to improve cash flow
4. Per-kilometre subsidies for international operations (as already exist in France)

Impact for foreign hauliers

For anyone running in Spain:

• Operating costs may jump from 1 October
• Rates on Iberian routes could rise 15–20% if the Spanish sector passes costs on
• French or Italian routes become relatively more competitive (where support exists)

Recommendation: negotiate contracts with price review clauses (indexed to the fuel price) before 1 October.

Timeline and next steps

• Now (18/09): the CETM is lobbying publicly
• By 25/09: the Spanish government should signal whether it will extend
• 30/09: deadline — RDL 18/2026 expires
• 1/10: market prices with no cushion, unless there is a last-minute extension

The decision will come in the next two weeks. Watch the official statements of the Spanish Ministry of Transport.