According to Eurostat, the price of fuels and lubricants for personal vehicles in the EU was 31.4% higher in September 2026 than in September 2025. The annual increase had been 16.9% in July and 23.8% in August, and in September it accelerated in 26 member states. The largest increases were in Bulgaria, Estonia and Lithuania, at over 40%, and the smallest in Hungary at 6.9%. On a monthly basis, diesel rose 5.9% and petrol 6.7% compared with August.
What it means: Energy is the main driver of the rise in euro area inflation, which reached 3.8% in September, and the Eurostat figures show how quickly higher oil prices reach the pump. For Greek businesses, fuel costs directly affect transport, distribution, ferries, agriculture and tourism, and indirectly almost every product through delivery costs. Companies with vehicle fleets or fixed-price contracts see their margins squeezed, while those with fuel adjustment clauses can pass on part of the cost. The increase also feeds headline inflation, which affects wage negotiations and consumers' purchasing power. Higher inflation is also one of the factors the ECB weighs in its interest rate decisions, which set the cost of business loans. Practical steps for businesses include checking contracts for fuel clauses, optimising routes and using tools such as myDiesel for eligible farmers. Figures for Greece are not listed separately in the release, but they are available in the Eurostat database.
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