On Tuesday, March 31, 2026, a new system of maximum retail fuel prices came into force in Poland. Under a notice issued the previous day by the Ministry of Energy, no station in the country may today sell unleaded 95 petrol for more than PLN 6.16 per litre, unleaded 98 for more than PLN 6.76, or diesel for more than PLN 7.60. This information was confirmed both by the Ministry of Energy and by the official notice published on March 30, 2026.
The government presents these measures as part of an emergency relief package for drivers. According to earlier announcements by the prime minister, the package includes not only a price cap at filling stations, but also a reduction in VAT on fuel from 23 to 8 percent and a cut in excise duty to the EU minimum. The goal is to quickly lower refuelling costs for drivers ahead of the Easter travel period.
However, the new rules may also produce side effects, especially in border regions. With the introduction of maximum prices, fuel in Poland has become clearly cheaper than in Germany, increasing the risk of so-called “fuel tourism.” For that reason, government representatives and the management of Orlen said today that they are monitoring the situation at border-area stations and do not rule out introducing sales restrictions for foreign customers. Such limits are not yet in force, but the government has clearly left the door open to that possibility.
In the public debate, the Slovak model is being mentioned as a possible reference point. In March, Bratislava allowed stations to charge higher diesel prices for vehicles with foreign licence plates and to limit fuel sales, citing supply problems and an influx of drivers from neighbouring countries. A similar solution could also be used in Poland if cheaper fuel begins to attract large numbers of drivers from abroad.
Today therefore marks the beginning of a new phase on the Polish fuel market: the state is not only influencing price levels, but is also signalling its readiness to intervene further if cross-border demand starts to put pressure on supplies. For Polish consumers, this means temporary relief at the pump. For the market, it means the start of a period of stronger regulation, the real effects of which will become clear only in the coming days.
