Fuel prices may increase by up to 20 euro cents per liter due to European environmental requirements for transport. This was stated to the Bulgarian National Radio by the Chairman of the Bulgarian Oil and Gas Association, Svetoslav Benchev.
„Fuel prices may increase by up to 20 euro cents per liter“, said Benchev, according to whom the new rules will begin to be applied in the next two years.
The scheme should come into effect in 2028.
According to him, the implementation of the emissions trading scheme for buildings and transport, known as ETS2, is planned to begin on January 1, 2028. He predicts that after its introduction, fuel prices could rise by 15-20 euro cents per liter.
Benchev linked the expected increase to the cost of carbon emission allowances. According to his explanation, for every ton of diesel fuel sold, three tons of allowances will have to be returned.
The European Commission defines ETS2 as a separate emissions trading system that covers buildings, road transport and additional sectors. Unlike end users, fuel suppliers will be directly liable under the scheme, who will have to report emissions and hand over the corresponding number of allowances. The system should become fully operational in 2028, and auctions for quotas are planned to begin in 2027.
Petroleum organizations prepare a common position
Petroleum organizations from Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia will ask the European Commission to review some of the directives and green policies, the chairman of the Bulgarian Petroleum Industry Association also announced.
Representatives of the industry will meet in Sofia in the coming days. They plan to discuss the creation of a coalition that would protect the interests of the oil industry and seek solutions against the expected price increase.
The 15-20 euro cents indicated by Benchev are a forecast for the possible effect on prices, and not an already implemented increase. The final impact on gasoline and diesel will depend on the price of the quotas, the decisions of the European institutions and the way in which the costs are transferred along the chain to consumers.
Sources: news.bg