Spanish logistics groups debate fuel price revision mechanism

Spanish logistics stakeholders are divided over the mechanism used to adjust transport prices based on fuel cost fluctuations.

The Asociación de Cargadores de España (ACE) and the Spanish Shippers’ Council (SSC) have called for reforms to the current fuel price revision system. They argue that the existing methodology can create discrepancies between actual fuel cost increases and the amounts passed on to shippers. Furthermore, they claim that automatic reviews in continuous contracts increase administrative complexity and hinder commercial stability, potentially driving up costs for industry and distribution.

In contrast, the Confederación Española de Transporte de Mercancías (CETM) defends the mandatory fuel clause. The CETM asserts that the mechanism provides an objective and automatic framework that avoids the need for constant renegotiation. They argue that the clause helps correct the historical power imbalance between shippers and transporters, ensuring that carriers can pass on uncontrollable fuel costs rather than absorbing them alone.