Evolution of fuel prices in BE

regular updates and governemental interventions

The maximum prices of petroleum products are calculated every working day by the Federal Public Service Economy in accordance with the programme agreement

Belgium has a system where the government sets a maximum price for fuel, not a fixed price. This means that gas stations can sell fuel at or below this price, but never above it. This maximum price is calculated daily by the Federal Public Service Economy based on the "programme agreement."

This agreement is a deal between the Belgian government and Energia, the Belgian petroleum federation. It's designed to ensure that prices at the pump reflect the actual costs on the international market, while also including all necessary taxes and margins.

For businesses like bus companies, there is a crucial system in place called "professional diesel." This system allows certain professional transport operators to get a partial refund on the excise duties they pay on diesel. This is essentially a government subsidy to support the transport sector.

This makes the effective fuel cost for qualifying bus companies significantly lower than the price a regular consumer pays at the pump.

Companies need to apply for this refund from the Belgian customs and excise authorities. They must provide proof of the fuel purchases (invoices) for their eligible vehicles. The refund amount per liter is set by the government and can change.

For example, the refund rates for passenger transport have been around €0.217 per liter in recent years. This creates a significant cost reduction and is a key factor for any bus company operating in or through Belgium.

This system is why you'll often see international transport companies making sure to refuel in Belgium—the combination of the maximum price and the professional diesel refund can make it one of the more competitive countries for commercial transport fuel.

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