Paris: French President HH Emmanuel Macron urged the European Commission to take measures to ease restrictions on the import and production of fuel and gas, amid the sharp rise in fuel prices due to the war in the Middle East.
The French presidency stated in a statement today that Macron sent a message to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, in which he proposed a number of measures aimed at enhancing fuel and gas import and production capabilities in the short term, given Europe’s heavy reliance on energy imports from the Middle East, particularly kerosene and diesel.
It explained that the emergency measures demanded by France due to the increase in fuel prices linked to the war in the Middle East should not conflict with long-term measures, foremost of which are the transition to electric energy and the diversification of supply sources.
In his letter, the French President requested a relaxation of the European specifications related to fuel quality, particularly the standards concerning volumetric mass, density, and sulfur removal, considering that this measure could achieve a significant increase in production ranging between 5 and 20 percent, noting that the European Commission had previously approved similar measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also proposed easing the restrictions on biofuel blending rates, especially in diesel, allowing for an increased share of non-fossil fuel in each liter.
President Macron called for accelerating European efforts towards the transition to electric energy, while at the same time requesting a one-year postponement in the implementation of rules related to methane emissions.
Under the legislation adopted by the European Union in 2024, gas, oil, and coal importers are required to report methane emissions associated with their supplies starting from January 2027, while the European Commission last July approved a three-year delay for fines imposed on fuel companies in case of non-compliance with these rules.
Amid the continued rise in fuel prices, the average price of diesel in France yesterday (Monday) reached about 2.41 euros per liter, while the price of SP98 gasoline was about 2.28 euros, and SP95 was about 2.22 euros.
