Vienna, March 31, 2026 Austria will introduce a fuel price brake on April 2, 2026, reducing gasoline and diesel prices by a total of 10 cents per liter through a combination of tax cuts and mandated price reductions. The Austrian government has agreed to lower the mineral oil tax on gasoline and diesel by 5 cents per liter, while requiring companies to reduce net selling prices by an additional 5 cents starting April 2 at 12:00 PM. The measure aims to return state revenue from recent price increases to consumers.
Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer stated, "Die befristete Senkung der Mineralölsteuer um 5 Cent hat einen dämpfenden Effekt auf die Treibstoffpreise und sorgt dafür, dass die zusätzlichen Umsatzsteuer-Einnahmen aufgrund der gestiegenen Spritpreise wieder den Autofahrern und Autofahrerinnen zu Gute kommen." ("The temporary reduction of the mineral oil tax by 5 cents has a dampening effect on fuel prices and ensures that the additional sales tax revenue from the increased fuel prices benefits the car drivers.")
A second regulation will limit crisis-related profit margins for Diesel B7 and Euro-Super E10 fuels across the supply chain. State Secretary Josef Schellhorn emphasized broader energy goals: "Dauerhafte Preisstabilität erreichen wir nur durch Energiesouveränität und den raschen Ausbau erneuerbarer Energien in Europa." ("Lasting price stability can only be achieved through energy sovereignty and the rapid expansion of renewable energies in Europe.")
As of this week, average fuel prices in Austria stood at 2.248 euros per liter for diesel and 1.914 euros per liter for Super fuel. The policy follows sustained pressure to address rising energy costs. The measure marks Austria’s latest effort to stabilize fuel prices after global energy market fluctuations in recent years. Similar interventions have been debated across Europe since the 2020s energy crises.