Macron urges von der Leyen to relax EU fuel rules as energy crunch bites

France is battling record diesel prices and fuel shortages as Middle East disruptions squeeze supplies French President Emmanuel Macron has urged the European Commission to temporarily lower EU quality requirements for diesel and kerosene as record prices and growing fuel shortages hit France, broadcaster BFM TV has reported.

Looser standards could allow some refineries to produce 5% to 20% more, but the trade-off could mean dirtier fuel.

Macron’s push comes as the US-Israeli war on Iran disrupts flows through the Strait of Hormuz, squeezing energy markets already reshaped by the EU’s self-imposed sharp reduction in Russian imports after the 2022 escalation of the Ukraine conflict.

In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last week, Macron called for the temporary lowering of fuel-quality standards covering density, vaporization, and sulfur content, the outlet wrote on Monday.

He said the move could deliver “significant production gains” of between 5% and 20% depending on the refinery.

Read more Hungary seeks US sanctions exemption over Russian energy Macron noted that US road diesel can contain up to 15 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur, compared with the EU limit of 10 ppm.

Allowing higher sulfur levels would let refineries quickly increase fuel production as the EU grapples with shortages and soaring prices, but at the cost of higher pollution.

The French president also wants more B7 diesel, which contains up to 7% biodiesel, replaced with B10 containing up to 10%.

He argued the measures would “strengthen our import and production capacities in the short term” and increase fuel available on the European market.

Paris is seeking the changes as France faces surging prices and supply strains.

Fuel distributors have reported growing difficulties securing deliveries for the coming weeks, according to Macron’s letter.

Europe is particularly dependent on the Middle East for refined fuels, which account for 36% of its kerosene imports and 18% of diesel imports.

Diesel prices in France hit a record €2.39 ($2.75) per liter last week, while 16% of filling stations were short of at least one type of fuel on Monday, according to government data.

France consumes around 600,000 barrels of diesel a day and imports roughly half of it, Macron said.