Poland's energy minister, Miłosz Motyka, has issued a new regulation setting maximum retail fuel prices that take effect on Friday, October 9, 2026, according to Business Insider Polska. Under the new limits, Pb 98 petrol may not be sold above 7.77 złoty per litre, with diesel set at a similar level. Pb 95 will carry a correspondingly lower cap.
The announcement marks the latest price notice under CPN 3.0, the third edition of the government's fuel support programme, which is scheduled to remain in force until the end of 2026. The mechanism caps what stations may charge so that they cannot pocket the difference created by cuts to value-added tax and excise duty.
Why it matters
The price ceilings are the government's main tool for making sure its tax reductions reach drivers rather than fuel companies. Without a cap, retailers could leave pump prices unchanged and absorb the savings from lower VAT and excise as extra margin.
Business Insider Polska reports that the programme's overall cost is estimated at roughly 5 billion złoty. The government expects to recover about 4.1 billion złoty of that from fuel companies, including around 2 billion złoty from Orlen. The remaining billion złoty falls on taxpayers.
How the scheme is funded
The money to pay for the tax cuts is to come largely from a new levy on fuel firms earning above-average profits. The rules provide for a 60 percent tax on excess profits from the sale of liquid fuels.
According to Business Insider Polska, the levy covers extraordinary profits booked between March 1, 2026, and March 31, 2027, by companies that produce fuel as well as businesses holding concessions to trade fuel imported from abroad.
A programme in its third iteration
This is the third version of the CPN scheme. The first was introduced at the end of March in response to a sharp rise in oil prices linked to the war between the United States and Israel and Iran. At that stage, VAT and excise duty on petrol and diesel were temporarily lowered, and a maximum fuel price mechanism was put in place.
The second edition ran during the summer holidays, from August 17 to August 31. It covered a VAT reduction only, with no cut to excise duty.
What to watch
Drivers will see the new caps applied at stations from Friday, October 9, 2026. The programme is currently set to expire at the end of the year, and the levy on fuel companies' excess profits runs through March 31, 2027.
