France plans to release 10 million barrels of diesel from its strategic reserves to distributors, in a move Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said would help relieve pressure on the fuel market and reduce prices at the pump.

Lecornu announced the measure on Wednesday and said he would soon sign a decree authorising the operation. The release is expected to continue for three months, although the decree had not yet been signed.

According to Lecornu, drawing on the reserves could “mechanically lower prices at the pump” by between 12 and 18 euro cents per litre of diesel. That figure is a projection rather than a confirmed reduction, and it remains uncertain whether the planned release will produce the full expected effect.

Fuel prices remain under pressure

The announcement comes as diesel prices in Europe remain high amid wider concerns about fuel supply. Disruptions to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the conflict in the Middle East have added pressure to the market.

French broadcaster TF1 reported that the average diesel price in France stood at 2.35 euros per litre on Tuesday, equivalent to 2.63 US dollars per litre. The reported price for SP95-E10, described as France’s most widely sold petrol, was 2.14 euros per litre.

Robert Fico, speaking on Wednesday, said Europe was facing serious challenges involving oil and fuel supplies. He warned that the European energy market could come under significant pressure during the autumn and winter, with diesel supply concerns particularly acute and capable of pushing prices higher.

Fico cited the conflict between Iran and the United States, declining European refining capacity, and changes in petroleum-product export and import patterns among factors affecting the market. He also referred to a threat by the US government to ban diesel exports, which he said had intensified concerns about Europe’s energy supply.

Calls for a broader European response

Fico said fuel-market problems could not be addressed solely through separate measures by individual European Union member states. He expressed hope that the upcoming EU summit would identify solutions to the difficulties facing the market.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said energy prices and the measures the EU would take to respond to rising costs would be key issues at the summit.

In addition to the diesel plan, Lecornu called on EDF, France’s state-owned electricity utility, to maximise its electricity production capacity. He said the effort was aimed at preventing electricity prices from rising during the winter.

France’s reserve release is therefore being presented as part of a wider response to pressure on both fuel and energy markets. The duration of the operation and the projected price effect remain subject to the forthcoming decree and market conditions.