Del 01Fuel and energy: pressure becomes the new normal
Across the EU, fuel prices moved back into the spotlight in April. The European Commission’s Weekly Oil Bulletin shows average diesel prices with taxes around the 1.90 euro per litre mark by the end of the month, with several Western European countries well above 2 euros. Independent trackers such as Fuel-prices.eu report an EU average of 1.913 euros per litre for diesel on 27 April, underlining how elevated pump prices have become compared with mid 2025.
When the cost of every litre moves sharply and unpredictably, small and mid sized fleets simply have no cushion. For them, the practical question is not whether prices are high in historical terms, but whether each contract has a fuel adjustment logic robust enough to keep trips profitable when the market moves faster than the tender cycle.
Del 02When fuel prices spill into the street
As in previous episodes, the pressure did not stay on spreadsheets. In late March and into April, rising fuel and toll costs triggered the first road haulage protests in several EU countries, with drivers and small operators warning that they were approaching breaking point. Industry associations and the IRU appealed to EU transport ministers for coordinated action, pointing out that fuel prices have increased by roughly 30 to 35 percent since the start of the current crisis, while many carriers still run on very thin margins.
Del 03Decarbonisation: relief on targets, not on direction
April underscored that energy and climate policy are now tightly connected for transport. In the heavy vehicle sector, EU institutions confirmed more flexibility in short term CO₂ rules for trucks, giving manufacturers and operators a little more room up to 2029, while industry bodies warned that infrastructure for charging and hydrogen is still the real bottleneck.
In parallel, national programmes continued to support low emission vehicle deployment. Germany’s hydrogen funding schemes for heavy trucks and refuelling infrastructure are part of a broader push to reduce oil dependence on key freight corridors, even as diesel remains dominant. Policymakers recognise the immediate pressure from high fuel prices and cost inflation, yet they are not reversing the long term trajectory toward lower emissions. Fleets are asked to solve two problems at once: surviving the current cost squeeze and investing in the next generation of vehicles.
Del 04Structural cracks: when pressure becomes a pattern
Several news items in April pointed to deeper structural issues. Studies and commentaries emphasised that the burden of the current energy and cost crisis falls unevenly across the sector. Operators in Central and Eastern Europe, which often work with lower rates, higher dependence on spot markets and less generous national relief schemes, are particularly exposed.
Insolvency cases and restructuring in logistics and forwarding show that not every company can absorb sustained pressure on fuel, wages and tolls at once. Sector analyses describe a market where cost structures, regulation and labour conditions are reshaping who survives and who needs to exit, even when overall demand is not collapsing. For shippers and partners, that translates into higher counterparty risk and a need to think more carefully about which carriers they rely on for critical flows.
Del 05What this adds up to for April
Taken together, April was not about a single big announcement or a one off crisis. It was about the realisation that high and volatile fuel and energy costs have become part of the background for European transport, while geopolitical shocks and climate policy tighten the frame from both sides. Elevated diesel and kerosene prices, emerging protest movements, continued decarbonisation obligations and growing structural pressure on smaller carriers all affect the same ecosystem.
Kilder og videre lesning
Stay up to date with our updates. Subscribe to our Newsletter following the link: