The government will be calling a meeting of fuel distributors on Tuesday to ask them to “make an effort to show solidarity”, in particular by extending sales at cost, Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher said on Saturday.
Government call for solidarity from fuel distributors to control prices
“I’ll call a meeting next Tuesday”. TotalEnergies and other distributors, and “I’m asking them to make an effort to show solidarity”, said the Minister for Energy Transition on France Inter, as gasoline prices have in some cases risen back above the 2 euros per liter mark.
“Some distributors have carried out operations at cost price (…) and I will ask them to extend this type of operation, because I think that the French do not have the space to pay more for fuel, and that this is not the kind of subject on which these players need to make a large margin”, added Mrs Pannier-Runacher.
In the midst of a recovery in oil prices, underpinned by voluntary production cuts in Saudi Arabia and Russia, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire asked leading distributor TotalEnergies on Thursday to extend its capping of all fuels at 1.99 euros per liter beyond December 31, 2023. Bruno Le Maire also opposed the idea of a tax rebate, which he deemed “not fiscally responsible”.
Agnès Pannier-Runacher calls for a shift from fossil fuels to electric vehicles
“What’s driving up the bill for the French? Fossil fuels. What’s disrupting the climate? Fossil fuels. So there’s an urgent need to get out of fossil fuels,” Agnès Pannier-Runacher went on to say.
Conversely, 10,000 km in an electric car represents “1,000 euros in fuel savings”, stressed the Minister, while admitting that the purchase of these vehicles remains “too expensive”.
“With the ecological bonus, the scrappage bonus, we’re working to lower the price of access to electric cars, and I want to further strengthen the ecological bonus so that households with average incomes can afford this car,” she added.
The Minister also cited the planned introduction of “leasing at 100 euros (…) per month”, without however announcing any details on the timetable for this complex measure, a campaign promise by President Emmanuel Macron.
Why does it matter?
This initiative by the French government underlines the growing concern about high fuel prices and the environmental impact of fossil fuels. It aims to keep fuel accessible to the public and accelerate the transition to more environmentally-friendly vehicles. Discussions with the oil industry and incentives for the adoption of electric vehicles are evidence of the government’s efforts to address current economic and environmental concerns.
