Eurostat: EU fuel prices up 16.9 per cent in July 2026

Brussels – The cost of motor fuels and lubricants for private transport in the European Union has risen, according to Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office. The data show that in July 2026, fuel prices rose by 16.9 per cent compared with July 2025. This figure follows the year-on-year increases of 20.7 per cent recorded in May 2026 and 13.7 per cent in June 2026. 

In 25 of 27 EU countries, fuel and lubricant prices were higher in July 2026 than in July 2025. In 13 countries, July annual increases were larger than those in June 2026. However, in 24 member states, the annual rate of change in July was lower than in May 2026, when four countries registered annual price increases exceeding 30 per cent.

According to Eurostat, in July 2026 – compared with the previous year – the highest increases were recorded in Romania (+24.2 per cent), Germany and Lithuania (both +22.9 per cent), Bulgaria (+22.2 per cent), the Netherlands (+22.0 per cent), and Finland (+20.5 per cent). Prices, on the other hand, fell slightly in Hungary (-0.1 per cent), whilst the figures show modest increases in Sweden (+1.2 per cent) and Ireland (+3.2 per cent). Italy came in the middle, with a 12.5 per cent rise. 

Looking at specific types of fuel, Eurostat found that, on a month-on-month basis in July 2026 – compared with the previous month – EU consumers saw a 4.3 per cent rise in diesel prices and a 4.7 per cent rise in petrol prices. By contrast, in June 2026, compared with the previous month, the price of diesel fell by 6.4 per cent, whilst petrol fell by 4.2 per cent.

Between June and July 2026, diesel prices rose in 17 EU countries. The sharpest increases were recorded in Poland (+13.4 per cent), Germany (+12.7 per cent) and Greece (+12.1 per cent), whilst they fell in nine countries, with the most marked decreases in Cyprus (-7.9 per cent), Sweden (-7.4 per cent) and Ireland (-6.4 per cent). In Italy, the increase was just 0.7 per cent. 

As regards petrol prices, they rose in 14 countries and fell in 12 between June and July 2026. The sharpest increases were seen in Poland (+17.2 per cent), Germany (+11.0 per cent) and Spain (+7.1 per cent), whilst the sharpest falls were recorded in Sweden (-11.1 per cent), Cyprus (-5.4 per cent) and Ireland (-4.1 per cent). In Italy, by contrast, there was a slight fall of 0.8 per cent.