2023-09-07 11:36:00
The Minister of the Economy wants the oil company TotalEnergies to extend its fuel price cap, set at 1.99 euros, beyond December 31, 2023.
By NJ with AFP Bruno Le Maire has asked TotalEnergies to extend the cap on fuel prices beyond December 31, 2023. © LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP Published on 07/09/2023 at 11:36
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In order to cope with the rise in oil prices and to somewhat protect the wallets of the French, the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, has asked TotalEnergies to extend its cap on prices at the pump. “I would like TotalEnergies, which has made a commitment to cap the prices of all fuels, diesel and petrol, at 1.99 euros until the end of the year, to extend this cap […] beyond December 31, 2023”, he declared this Thursday, September 7, on France Info.
“TotalEnergies is the only major French oil company that we have left, it must be an asset for all motorists”, insisted Bruno Le Maire, before expressing his “confidence” in the fact that the boss of the energy company Patrick Pouyanné ” take into consideration the difficulties of our compatriots”.
A meeting with the energy company took place on Wednesday at the Ministry of Energy Transition to “take stock of the price of fuel and discuss an extension of the cap at 1.99 euros beyond January 1, 2024”, indicated the entourage of Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher. “New exchanges” are planned for Thursday and in the coming days with TotalEnergies “and other representatives of the sector”, adds the same source.
READ ALSOFuels: will the rise in prices at the pump stop?
A rebate would cost “12 billion euros”
The government, on the other hand, rules out any new generalized rebate on fuel prices, after having already resorted to this solution in 2022. For Bruno Le Maire, this measure is a “triple aberration: ecological, budgetary and diplomatic”.
“Two countries, Saudi Arabia and Russia, have decided to reduce their production, which obviously has an impact on the price” by restricting the world supply, acknowledged the minister. Under these conditions, a new government rebate would amount, according to him, to “paying the oil diplomacy of [Vladimir] Putin and Saudi Arabia”.
READ ALSOCoignard – Fuel prices: the “big rollers” in the fogThe minister refused to embark on “apothecary accounts” with the president (LR) of the Hauts-de-France region Xavier Bertrand, who asked for a discount of 15 to 20 centimes “for all” on the liter of gasoline and accused the government of exaggeratedly inflating the cost of such a measure. “If we make a discount of 20 cents on fuel prices for a year, I confirm, it costs 12 billion euros”, replied Bruno Le Maire on Thursday.
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