Government reduced excise duties on gasoline and diesel fuel until September 21

The Government of the Republic of Croatia, at its session held on September 14, 2026, adopted the Decree on the Amendment of the Decree on the Amount of Excise Duty on Energy Products and Electrical Energy, published in Official Gazette (Narodne novine) No. 102 of September 14, 2026 (number 1237). The new amounts reduce the excise duty on unleaded motor gasoline and diesel fuel, which will be reflected in retail fuel prices and state revenues from energy products. The Decree enters into force on September 15, 2026, and the new amounts apply until September 21, 2026.

The Decree was adopted based on Article 97, paragraph 2 of the Excise Duty Act (“Official Gazette”, No. 106/18, 121/19, and 144/21). It amends Article 3 of the Decree on the Amount of Excise Duty on Energy Products and Electrical Energy, which has been amended several times since its adoption in 2022. The Decree was signed by the Prime Minister mr. sc. Andrej Plenković, v. r., with the classification mark Class: 022-03/26-03/64 and Registry Number: 50301-05/31-26-2.

New Excise Duty Amounts

Article 1 of the Decree establishes new excise duty amounts in euros for the following taxable items:

• unleaded motor gasoline – 397.31 EUR/1000 l
• diesel fuel – 260.00 EUR/1000 l

Compared to the previous Decree published in Official Gazette No. 90 of August 17, 2026, the excise duty on unleaded motor gasoline has been reduced from 422.31 EUR/1000 l to 397.31 EUR/1000 l, and on diesel fuel from 330.00 EUR/1000 l to 260.00 EUR/1000 l. This reduces the fiscal burden on both energy products, creating room for lower retail prices at gas stations.

Impact on Retail Prices

The reduction in excise duties directly affects the formula used to determine the maximum retail prices of petroleum derivatives. According to the Decree on the Determination of Maximum Retail Prices of Petroleum Derivatives, published in the same issue of the Official Gazette (No. 102), the maximum retail price is obtained by increasing the unit price by the excise duty and value added tax. Therefore, a lower excise duty can reduce the final fuel price for consumers, while simultaneously reducing state budget revenues from energy products.

The new excise duty amounts apply from the date the Decree enters into force and are set for the period until September 21, 2026, after which a new Government decision on the amount of excise duties for the next accounting period is expected.

Legal Framework and Application Deadline

The Decree is published in the “Official Gazette” (Narodne novine), the official gazette of the Republic of Croatia, and enters into force on September 15, 2026, the day after publication. The issuing body is the Government of the Republic of Croatia, and the legal basis is the Excise Duty Act, which regulates the taxation of energy products and electrical energy.

The reduction of excise duties on fuels is part of the regular monthly adjustment of fiscal burdens on energy sources, through which the Government monitors movements on the global oil market and seeks to alleviate the pressure on fuel prices for citizens and the economy. Since excise duties constitute a significant part of the retail price, any change in their amount is directly reflected in household budgets, transport costs, and economic competitiveness.

Source: Regulation on the amendment of the Regulation on the amount of excise duty on energy sources and electrical energy, »Narodne novine«, number 102, Zagreb, September 14, 2026, number 1237 (Class: 022-03/26-03/64, Ord. No: 50301-05/31-26-2).