A safeguard clause in the September decree has superseded the original phase-down. The Government confirmed on 14 October that the discount on petrol and diesel will remain at 20 cents per litre in November. December’s rate depends on whether October prices also exceed the clause’s threshold.
The original timetable set the rebate at 20 cents per litre in October, 13 cents in November and 6 cents in December. Drivers will receive 20 cents per litre for both fuels in November, instead of the planned 13 cents.
Real Decreto-ley 25/2026, dated 29 September, was published in Spain’s Official State Gazette on 30 September. It ties the discount to fuel-price increases of more than 15% year on year. The National Statistics Institute, or INE, reported annual inflation of 4.9% in September. Europa Press reported that petrol prices had risen 27% and diesel 34% year on year, pushing both past the threshold.
For December, the rule is fuel-specific: if October’s year-on-year increase for petrol or diesel exceeds 15%, that fuel keeps the 20-cent discount. If it does not, the scheduled rate is 6 cents per litre. Parliament must also ratify the decree after the Council of Ministers approves it.
On a 55-litre tank, the 20-cent discount amounts to €11 in nominal tax relief, €3.85 more than the planned November rate of 13 cents. The reduction drivers see at the pump can vary, depending on how much of the tax relief reaches retail prices.
The support now runs through the hydrocarbon tax. Earlier measures paired a VAT cut with a reduction in that tax, but since July the scheme has relied solely on the hydrocarbon-tax discount. It was designed to taper over time unless rising prices triggered the safeguard. In September, the rebate stood at 5 cents per litre for petrol and 20 cents for diesel after diesel prices jumped in July. The November decision brings both fuels to 20 cents.
The state discount is separate from promotions offered by fuel retailers, including Repsol's fuel promotion. The decree also provides support for professional diesel users.
Other energy measures cover gas and bottled butane. The Government will cap the rise in the regulated gas tariff, known as TUR, at around 15% in the fourth quarter. Without the cap, Deputy Prime Minister and Environment Minister Sara Aagesen said, the increase could exceed 45%. The maximum price of a butane cylinder will remain €19.55 until 30 June 2027.
