Background information

The mechanism was introduced in response to the sharp increase in crude oil and fuel prices after the outbreak of the war in Iran and the escalation of risk in the Strait of Hormuz, which threatened a sudden rise in inflation and transport costs in Poland. The act adopted by the Parliament (Sejm) on 26 March 2026 empowered the Minister of Energy to set maximum daily retail prices at fuel stations using a defined algorithm linked to oil quotations and the exchange rate of the złoty, with a buffer limiting the full transmission of the external shock to domestic prices. The legal basis consists of two fuel acts adopted on 26 March 2026 under the ‘Fuel Prices Down’ package (CPN), amending the Act on Prices and the Act on Stocks of Oil and Fuels.

Content of measure

The mechanism covers all fuel stations in Poland that sell petrol Pb95 and Pb98, diesel and certain biofuels, irrespective of ownership structure (major chains and independent outlets). On each working day, the Minister of Energy sets an upper limit for the gross retail price according to the algorithm, and stations may not charge more than this price, although they may charge less. For example, for 11–13 April 2026, the maximum prices were: Pb95 – €1.43 per litre, Pb98 – €1.57 per litre, diesel – €1.79 per litre, and on 23 April: Pb95 – €1.39 per litre, Pb98 – €1.53 per litre, diesel – €1.56 per litre. The scale of support is indirect: the real subsidy is the gap between the market‑clearing price and the administrative ceiling, financed in practice by the state budget (through lower tax revenue and potential support to PKN Orlen and importers) and partly through reduced margins of retailers. Detailed budget estimates have not yet been fully disclosed.

Use of measure

The beneficiaries are all drivers, both households and firms, purchasing fuel at stations, in effect the entire retail fuel market. In quantitative terms, this means several tens of millions of vehicle users and several hundred thousand companies, including those in the transport and logistics sector. Uptake is complete, as the mechanism is automatic: every fuel transaction during the period in which the ceilings apply is covered by the scheme. There are no robust data on effectiveness in reducing inflation yet available.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Applies to all workers	Applies to all businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Informed	Informed
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Social partners jointly
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

The act was adopted under an accelerated procedure; formal public consultation was time‑limited and the role of the Council for Social Dialogue was largely confined to ex post opinions. The main employer organisations (such as Konfederacja Lewiatan and Pracodawcy RP) and transport associations voiced their demands mainly through the media and sectoral position papers rather than through a formal and lengthy institutional dialogue. Trade unions (including NSZZ ‘Solidarność’ and OPZZ) were not directly involved in shaping the algorithm or regulatory details, even though the measure has important implications for wage formation and labour costs. Monitoring of the mechanism is carried out primarily by the Ministry of Energy and the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, which is responsible for inspections of compliance with the ceilings; social partners do not have a specific role in oversight.

Views and reactions

Employer organisations are generally ambivalent. They support short‑term price restraint because it lowers logistics costs and commuting costs for workers, but at the same time they point to risks of market distortions and uncertainty about the time frame of the ceilings. Trade unions are broadly positive about the reduction in workers’ cost of living, although some emphasise that policy efforts should focus more on income‑targeted transfers than on general fuel subsidies. Environmental organisations and some think tanks argue that fuel price controls weaken incentives to save energy and slow down the transition of the transport sector.

Sources

• 26 March 2026: Pakiet CPN, czyli „Ceny Paliwa Niżej” (www.gov.pl)
• 27 March 2026: Analitycy: rządowy pakiet obniżek cen paliw to dobra wiadomość dla konsumentów (www.pap.pl)