Fuel prices across the European Union rose sharply in July 2026, with the cost of fuels and lubricants for personal transport increasing 16.9 per cent year-on-year, according to Eurostat.

Prices were higher in 25 of the EU’s 27 countries compared with July 2025.

Romania recorded the steepest annual increase at 24.2 per cent, followed by Germany and Lithuania at 22.9 per cent each, Bulgaria at 22.2 per cent, the Netherlands at 22.0 per cent and Finland at 20.5 per cent.

Hungary recorded a slight decline of 0.1 per cent, while Sweden and Ireland posted the smallest increases, at 1.2 per cent and 3.2 per cent, respectively.

The July increase followed annual rises of 20.7 per cent in May and 13.7 per cent in June, with July’s rate lower than May’s in 24 countries.

On a monthly basis, diesel prices increased 4.3 per cent in July, while petrol prices rose 4.7 per cent, reversing declines recorded in June.

Diesel prices increased in 17 EU countries, led by Poland at 13.4 per cent, Germany at 12.7 per cent and Greece at 12.1 per cent. Prices fell in nine countries, with the largest declines in Cyprus, Sweden and Ireland.

Petrol prices rose in 14 countries and fell in 12. Poland recorded the largest increase at 17.2 per cent, followed by Germany at 11.0 per cent and Spain at 7.1 per cent. Sweden saw the biggest decline at 11.1 per cent. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service