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NederlandsSpain extends professional diesel aid to December, with the discount rising from 5 to 19 cents
The Council of Ministers approved, on 29 September, a third Royal Decree-Law extending fuel aid linked to the Middle East conflict until 31 December. The general tax rebate falls from 20 to 6 cents a litre between October and December, but the specific discount for professional diesel rises from 5 to 19 cents over the same period — keeping total support for hauliers steady, at around 25 cents a litre.
Professional diesel aid in Spain was due to expire on 30 September and, a day earlier, UNO Logística had asked for it to be extended to December and doubled to 40 cents. The government answered on 29 September: the Council of Ministers approved a third Royal Decree-Law responding to the Middle East crisis, which deputy prime minister Carlos Cuerpo described as “an extension Decree-Law” of the measures already in place.
What changes from 1 October
The decree combines two separate supports:
- General tax rebate (petrol and diesel, all drivers): 20 cents/litre in October, 13 in November and 6 in December — a progressive reduction from the current 20 cents.
- Specific professional diesel aid (hauliers entitled to a partial refund of the Hydrocarbons Tax): 5 cents/litre in October, 12 in November and 19 in December — the opposite trend, rising month by month.
Added together, total support per litre of professional diesel stays close to 25 cents in each of the three months — the government offsets the falling general rebate with the rising sector- specific aid, keeping what reaches hauliers stable. There is also a safeguard clause: if fuel prices rise faster than expected, the discount can return to 20 cents.
No doubling, no vans included
The decree extends the aid to 31 December, as UNO Logística wanted, but stops short of the 40 cents requested and does not, for now, extend dedicated support to vans up to 3,500 kg without professional diesel status. Fenadismer, which had already asked the CNMC for a public list of fuel stations that failed to apply the previous discount correctly, again criticises the aid being managed through fuel stations rather than direct transfers to hauliers’ accounts.
Why it matters for hauliers leaving Portugal
Anyone refuelling in Spain with professional diesel does not lose support from 1 October, but the price at the pump shifts month to month: cheaper in October than it would be without an extension, but with the discount moving from the pump (general rebate) to the Hydrocarbons Tax refund over the quarter. Keep the receipt from every refuelling for the reimbursement claim.