The Romanian government has introduced a temporary diesel tax cut of RON 0.3 per litre alongside a progressive solidarity levy on oil companies' exceptional profits, aiming to cushion consumers against fuel price spikes caused by Middle East instability and global supply chain disruptions.
Romania’s Ministry of Finance has unveiled emergency measures on 2 April 2026 to shield consumers from surging fuel costs triggered by rising hostilities in the Middle East and global oil supply disruptions.
Starting immediately upon the ordinance’s implementation, the excise duty on standard diesel fuel drops by RON 0.3 per litre. This reduction remains in effect throughout the ongoing crude oil market crisis, targeting inflationary pressures and stabilising transportation costs across the economy.
The government estimates this tax cut will cost approximately RON 0.61 billion in lost revenue.
Companies extracting or processing Romanian crude oil face a new solidarity contribution when Brent crude prices exceed USD 70 per barrel. The progressive tax structure starts at 1.5% for prices just above the threshold and reaches a maximum of 9.9% when oil exceeds USD 140 per barrel.
For businesses selling unprocessed crude oil, the contribution applies to 60% of their sales revenues from this oil.
Expected revenues from this measure range between RON 0.07 billion and RON 0.65 billion, depending on oil price movements.
The Ministry emphasises that both measures are temporary, specifically targeting crisis-period revenues to protect purchasing power while maintaining economic stability.
