France: End of tax exemption for off-road diesel fuel

France is phasing out the tax exemption on non-road diesel fuel (GNR) for farmers and public works companies, encouraging the transition to a green tax system. However, this measure does not apply to road hauliers, to preserve their competitiveness.

Share:

défiscalisation gazole

French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire has announced the abolition of tax-free diesel fuel for farmers and public works companies. This measure is designed to encourage green taxation. However, it will not apply to road hauliers in order to maintain their competitiveness.

Gradual abolition of tax exemptions for off-road diesel fuel: farmers and construction companies affected in France

“We’ll be doing away with the tax niche on non-road diesel (GNR) quite simply to switch our tax system from a brown tax system – it’s a tax system that encourages the consumption of fossil fuels, so it’s bad for the climate – to a tax system that values green investments,” declared Mr. Le Maire on Franceinfo.

This measure will concern farmers and construction companies, with whom discussions are underway to “find an agreement”, he continued, specifying that there would be “compensation to accompany the transformation”. “We mustn’t be brutal,” added the Minister.

According to the Ministry of the Economy, the end of tax exemption for GNR will be phased in from 2024 to 2030.

The president of the FNSEA, the leading farmers’ union, will be at Bercy next week, added the same source. The FNSEA is open to a gradual transition from RNG to alternatives, with support to facilitate the process.

Its chairman Arnaud Rousseau said again on RMC on Thursday that there was “no question of it being abruptly withdrawn”. “Asking for an effort, a mutation from brown to green, to use the expression of the Minister of the Economy, requires solutions. Today, there aren’t many solutions. For us, it’s a question of competitiveness”, he said.

On the other hand, road hauliers will “not be affected” by the gradual end of diesel tax exemption, in order to “preserve (their) competitiveness”, stressed Mr. Le Maire.

Diesel fuel taxation: Road hauliers hail preservation of their competitiveness in France

The Minister pointed out that, for this profession, France applied a higher diesel tax than other European countries.

“The level of taxation on diesel is 3.8 centimes for farmers, 18 centimes for public works, so it’s much lower than the average for European countries and France”, he detailed.

“But it’s 45 centimes for road hauliers, which is higher than what’s charged in Spain, higher than what’s charged in Italy.”

Union TLF said hauliers were eagerly awaiting this decision.

“We are already among the most heavily taxed countries in Europe! We need to preserve our competitiveness, because we’re a strategic sector for the country,” said Olivier Poncelet, General Delegate.

Why does it matter?

The gradual abolition of tax exemption on GNR for farmers and public works companies in France has major implications.

This measure is designed to encourage the transition to greener sources by eliminating the advantages granted to fossil fuels. The decision not to apply this measure to road hauliers is designed to maintain their competitiveness.

This reflects France’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and switching to cleaner fuels.

Nearly USD92bn will be invested by major American and international groups in new data centres and energy infrastructure, responding to the surge in electricity demand linked to the rise of artificial intelligence.
Nouakchott has endured lengthy power interruptions for several weeks, highlighting the financial and technical limits of the Mauritanian Electricity Company as Mauritania aims to widen access and green its mix by 2030.
Between 2015 and 2024, four multilateral climate funds committed nearly eight bn USD to clean energy, attracting private capital through concessional terms while Africa and Asia absorbed more than half of the volume.
The Global Energy Policies Hub shows that strategic reserves, gas obligations, cybersecurity and critical-mineral policies are expanding rapidly, lifting oil coverage to 98 % of world imports.
According to a report by Ember, the Chinese government’s appliance trade-in campaign could double residential air-conditioner efficiency gains in 2025 and trim up to USD943mn from household electricity spending this year.
Washington is examining sectoral taxes on polysilicon and drones, two supply chains dominated by China, after triggering Section 232 to measure industrial dependency risks.
The 2025-2034 development plan presented by Terna includes strengthening Sicily’s grid, new interconnections, and major projects to support the region’s growing renewable energy capacity.
Terna and NPC Ukrenergo have concluded a three-year partnership in Rome aimed at strengthening the integration of the Ukrainian grid into the pan-European system, with an in-depth exchange of technological and regulatory expertise.
GE Vernova has secured a major contract to modernise the Kühmoos substation in Germany, enhancing grid reliability and integration capacity for power flows between Germany, France and Switzerland.
The National Energy System Operator forecasts electricity demand to rise to 785 TWh by 2050, underlining the need to modernise grids and integrate more clean energy to support the UK’s energy transition.
Terna has signed a guarantee agreement with SACE and the European Investment Bank to finance the Adriatic Link project, totalling approximately €1bn ($1.08bn) and validated as a major transaction under Italian regulations.
India unveils a series of reforms on oil and gas contracts, introducing a fiscal stability clause to enhance the sector’s attractiveness for foreign companies and boost its growth ambitions in upstream energy.
The European Commission is launching a special fund of EUR2.3bn ($2.5bn) to boost Ukraine’s reconstruction and attract private capital to the energy and infrastructure sectors.
Asia dominated global new renewable energy capacity in 2024 with 71% of installations, while Africa recorded limited growth of only 7.2%, according to the latest annual report from IRENA.
US President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act dramatically changes energy investment rules, imposing restrictions on renewables while favouring hydrocarbons, according to a recent report by consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie.
On July 8, 2025, the Senate validated the Gremillet bill, aimed at structuring France's energy transition with clear objectives for nuclear power, renewable energies, and energy renovation.
Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Peru significantly increase renewable electricity production, reaching nearly 70% of the regional electricity mix, according to a recent Wood Mackenzie study on Latin America's energy sector.
The Canadian government announces an investment of more than $40mn to fund 13 energy projects led by Indigenous communities across the country, aiming to improve energy efficiency and increase local renewable energy use.
The German Ministry of Economy plans to significantly expand aid aimed at reducing industrial electricity costs, increasing eligible companies from 350 to 2,200, at an estimated cost of €4bn ($4.7bn).
A major electricity blackout paralyzed large parts of the Czech Republic, interrupting transport and essential networks, raising immediate economic concerns, and highlighting the vulnerability of energy infrastructures to unforeseen technical incidents.