Austria passes new fuel price brake for October and November

The Austrian Nationalrat has passed a new fuel price brake intended to provide relief for motorists during October and November. The measure includes a 6.7 cent reduction in mineral oil tax—bringing diesel costs down to the EU minimum—and a 3.5 cent per liter cap on profit margins for oil companies. In total, the package is expected to reduce fuel prices by more than 12 cents per liter.

The decision followed a heated special session in Parliament. While the governing coalition praised the measure as a necessary step to cushion rising costs, it faced sharp criticism from opposition parties. The FPÖ dismissed the plan as an ineffective “repackaging” of previous measures, arguing for a total abolition of CO2 taxation instead. The Green Party criticized the margin cap as too low, advocating for higher limits on oil companies and an expansion of windfall taxes to include gas and district heating.

Other political voices, including the SPÖ, highlighted that rising energy prices are linked to international conflicts and called for a transition away from fossil fuel dependency. The measure will move to the Bundesrat for final approval.