G7 countries will release up to 100 million barrels of diesel and crude oil over the next four months, Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday 2 October 2026 after a video conference of G7 leaders. The stated aim is to ease pressure on pump prices, as diesel has just reached a record high in the European Union. Here is what was decided, and where fuel prices stand in France and Europe on 3 October 2026.
What the G7 decided on 2 October 2026
Meeting by video conference at 2:30 p.m. under the chairmanship of Emmanuel Macron, G7 leaders agreed to draw on their emergency stocks to relieve the market. The French president said that countries will release up to 100 million barrels of diesel and crude oil over a four-month period. The joint statement published in the late afternoon specifies that G7 countries and their partners will begin with a substantial release of diesel within the first 20 days.
The second element of the agreement: no export limits or bans between G7 members. Emmanuel Macron said Donald Trump had been very clear on this point during the talks. The French head of state also stated that these decisions "should bring prices down" for fuels.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the decision not to impose export bans on allies. She also said she supports a release of fuel reserves coordinated by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Tensions between Washington and Brussels ahead of the meeting
Washington had threatened to ban its fuel exports to the European Union if European countries did not release their reserves. Brussels "categorically" rejected that possibility. The stakes are high: 50% of the diesel imported by the EU's twenty-seven member states comes from the United States. In the night from Thursday to Friday, Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone with Donald Trump. On the American side, Scott Bessent said Europeans should speed up their existing commitments, and Chris Wright called for a coordinated release of diesel stocks ahead of winter.
The March precedent: 400 million barrels pledged
In March, IEA member states pledged to progressively release 400 million barrels of oil from their strategic stocks. Not all of these volumes have yet been put on the market.
Why diesel is at the center of concerns
Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure and Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz are severely hampering diesel production. Eurozone inflation rose to 3.8% in September, a three-year high. In the EU, diesel reached a weekly average of €2.24 per litre, a record, according to the European Commission. In the United States, it reached $6.53 per gallon at the end of September.
Fuel prices in France on 3 October 2026
The data from prix-carburant.eu, calculated from prices declared by service stations (public data from data.gouv.fr) and updated on 3 October 2026 at 8:24 a.m., give the following national averages:
| Fuel | Today (€/l) | Yesterday (€/l) | 1 week | 1 month | 1 year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2.363 | 2.355 | +0.9 c€ (+0.39%) | +3.8 c€ (+1.64%) | +71.5 c€ (+43.40%) |
| SP95-E10 | 2.144 | 2.136 | +1.9 c€ (+0.89%) | +2.3 c€ (+1.08%) | +43.0 c€ (+25.08%) |
| SP95 | 2.204 | 2.210 | -2.4 c€ (-1.06%) | +1.6 c€ (+0.75%) | +47.7 c€ (+27.65%) |
| SP98 | 2.227 | 2.228 | +1.8 c€ (+0.84%) | +1.9 c€ (+0.88%) | +41.0 c€ (+22.59%) |
| E85 | 0.899 | 0.903 | +0.8 c€ (+0.88%) | +1.4 c€ (+1.57%) | +13.5 c€ (+17.65%) |
| LPG | 1.042 | 1.036 | +0.8 c€ (+0.81%) | +1.1 c€ (+1.10%) | +5.0 c€ (+5.08%) |
Diesel stands at €2.363 per litre, 71.5 cents more than a year ago, and 21.9 cents above SP95-E10 at €2.144 per litre. As for records, diesel peaked at €2.392 per litre on 18 September 2026 (today's price is 1.2% lower), SP95-E10 at €2.156 per litre on 16 September, SP95 at €2.234 per litre on 20 September and SP98 at €2.243 per litre on 16 September. See all the curves on the page statistics and price trends for fuels in France.
Where does France stand in Europe?
The European comparison on prix-carburant.eu, based on the European Commission's oil bulletin and updated on 28 September 2026, places France above the European Union average:
| Country | Diesel (€/l) | SP95 (€/l) |
|---|---|---|
| European Union | 2.237 (▲ 1.10 ¢) | 2.104 (▲ 1.20 ¢) |
| France | 2.371 (▼ 1.20 ¢) | 2.213 (▼ 0.60 ¢) |
| Germany | 2.437 (▼ 2.00 ¢) | 2.345 (▼ 0.30 ¢) |
| Belgium | 2.430 (▲ 4.30 ¢) | 2.032 (▲ 4.40 ¢) |
| Italy | 2.351 (▲ 7.00 ¢) | 2.156 (▲ 1.50 ¢) |
| Spain | 1.934 (▲ 1.60 ¢) | 1.940 (▲ 1.20 ¢) |
| Netherlands | 2.526 (▼ 5.30 ¢) | 2.465 (▲ 1.60 ¢) |
For diesel, the highest prices in this survey are in Denmark (€2.542), the Netherlands (€2.526) and Finland (€2.523), while Bulgaria (€1.928), Hungary (€1.932) and Spain (€1.934) show the lowest levels, excluding Malta (€1.210). The French diesel price of €2.371 in this survey differs from today's average of €2.363, because the two figures rely on different sources and survey dates. To compare all countries, see the comparison of fuel prices in Europe.
Crude oil in the G7 decision
The 2 October decision does not only concern diesel: it also includes crude oil, within the limit of the 100 million barrels announced. To follow the price of a barrel, see the page Brent price trend; national pump-price averages are updated daily on prix-carburant.eu.