The Polish government has announced the maximum fuel prices for the upcoming weekend, following its ongoing program, Ceny Paliwa Niżej (CPN), which is set to last at least until the end of this year. The Finance Minister will decide in December whether to extend the program. This initiative was designed to help drivers save between 1.2 to 1.3 PLN on every liter due to temporary reductions in excise tax and VAT.
As per the announcement made on Friday by the Ministry of Energy, the maximum prices for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (October 17, 18, and 19) have been set as follows: 6.89 PLN per liter for 95 octane gasoline (down from 6.95 PLN), 7.68 PLN for 98 octane gasoline (down from 7.76 PLN), and 8.00 PLN for diesel (down from 8.03 PLN). Fuel station operators are prohibited from exceeding these maximum prices, although they may sell at lower rates. Violations of these price regulations could result in fines of up to 1 million PLN.
The increase in fuel prices this year is primarily attributed to the rising cost of crude oil, which was influenced by the recent U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, disrupting oil exports from the Middle East—responsible for about one-third of global oil supply. Additionally, some Middle Eastern refineries have suffered setbacks, and the processing capabilities of Russian refineries have declined due to attacks related to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
On the world markets, oil prices saw a slight decrease on Friday morning, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) falling by 0.6% to $97.3 per barrel for November delivery. Similarly, Brent crude dropped by nearly 0.6% to $105.3 per barrel for December delivery, up significantly from approximately $65-70 before the Middle Eastern conflict escalated. Current oil price levels remain high due to the ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and Houthi rebels, as well as renewed attacks on vessels in the region.
The third phase of the CPN program is expected to cost around 5 billion PLN. The announcement regarding maximum fuel prices forms part of this ongoing initiative aimed at curbing price hikes at fuel stations and reducing refueling costs for drivers. Initiated after the introduction of certain provisions from the law on taxing extraordinary profits of fuel companies, this phase is set to run until the end of 2026, with an estimated 4.1 billion PLN in revenues from fuel companies, including about 2 billion PLN from Orlen. The remaining billion PLN reduction will be covered by citizens through their taxes.
The first phase of the CPN program was introduced at the end of March as a response to rising oil prices amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, featuring temporary reductions in VAT and excise taxes on gasoline and diesel. This initial phase ended in June, with the excise tax cut lasting until mid-June. A second phase occurred during the summer, from August 17 to August 31, without an excise tax reduction, only lowering VAT.
