Portugal approves €38 million in fuel aid: up to €457.80 per freight vehicle

Portugal’s Council of Ministers, meeting on 17 September, approved a package of measures to boost household income and support the sectors most affected by rising fuel prices, driven mainly by instability in the Middle East. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro in a national address.

€30 million for freight transport

Of the total €38 million in extraordinary aid, €30 million goes to freight transport and roadside assistance, with amounts between €118.20 and €457.80 per vehicle, depending on gross weight. This is direct per-vehicle aid, distinct from the existing per-litre professional diesel refund.

Public road passenger transport receives €5 million, at €420 per bus. The remaining €3 million goes to taxis (€120 per vehicle), fire services (€120 or €360 per vehicle, depending on type) and the social sector (€600 per entity).

Added to the existing scheme

This aid adds to the professional diesel refund mechanism already under way — around 10.74 cents per litre since 14 September — and to the extension, announced the previous week, of the 10-cent-per-litre aid for agricultural and forestry diesel, until 31 December.

The Government will also propose to Parliament the extension until 31 December 2026 of the temporary regime allowing lower minimum fuel duty rates on petrol and diesel.

The implementing decree is still missing

As of this article, the Government’s statement announces the amounts and criteria, but the decree regulating how to apply for this €30 million aid had not yet been located in the official gazette (Diário da República). CP will confirm the decree number once published and update this article.