High March diesel price rise, third lowest price in the EU
According to Eurostat data for March, the price of diesel at Czech petrol stations rose the most in the EU, by almost 28% month-on-month, while the average increase in the EU was 19%. I am not an expert on the pricing policy of petrol stations, the density of petrol stations or the pricing policy of refineries. However, if I look at the EU fuel price statistics, it is clear that the March jump reflects: 1) the low starting price in the Czech Republic - the third lowest in the EU; 2) the lower taxation of diesel in the Czech Republic - the fourth lowest in the EU; 3) the different pricing and tax policies across EU countries in March.
Several factors contributed to the higher monthly increase in diesel prices in March.
Eurostat fuel statistics show that Czech diesel prices were the third lowest in the EU this February. In March, they moved to the ninth lowest price in the EU, where they remained until mid-April.
At the same time, diesel prices were burdened by the fourth lowest tax (VAT and excise duty) in the EU in February, which means a higher weight of the commodity component (including the margin) in the diesel price. A higher weighting of the commodity component times the price shock to the commodity component equals a higher change in the overall price.
Another factor is that fuel prices have already been affected by government interventions in March in a number of countries (but far from all), whether in the form of state price interventions or a significant reduction in VAT (Spain to 10% at the end of March or Poland to 8% at the beginning) or through lower excise duties. The Czech government took these measures - a cap on prices and a reduction in excise duty on diesel - at the beginning of the second week of April.
Link to source data:
Eurostat - Weekly Oil Bulletin
Although the price of diesel rose the most in the EU in March, from the third lowest price level in February 2026 ...
Note: converted using the average EURCZK exchange rate for February.
... to the ninth highest
Note: converted using the average EURCZK exchange rate for March.
Higher diesel growth due to higher commodity prices also reflects the lower level of taxation on diesel in the Czech Republic, in absolute ...
... but also relatively
Czech diesel prices rank third lowest in EU and in 2025