European Road Freight – Weekly Bulletin | 27 September – 4 October 2026

The week in brief

The EU average diesel price remains high at €2.237/L, and IRU says prices have passed their 2026 records. On 1 October Romania’s distance-based TollRo and Lombardy’s Euro 5 diesel ban took effect; from 5 October Spain requires the digital DeCA. Italy and the Czech Republic are taking a delay of ETS2, which would cover road fuels, to the 15–16 October summit.

💶 Economy

• EU Weekly Oil Bulletin (week of 28 September): EU weighted average diesel €2.237/L, up 1.07 cents on the week. Cheapest is Malta at €1.210/L, most expensive Denmark at €2.542/L.
• According to IRU, diesel passed its 2026 records in September; North-West European diesel refining margins rose above $100/barrel. National fuel support is being tapered rather than deepened. date to be confirmed
• No new country-level fuel tax cut was found this week.
• Freight rates: no new index was published this week. The latest data is Ti/Upply/IRU Q2 2026: contract 148 (+7.9), spot 146.8 (+14.6) points, driven by costs rather than demand. The Q3 report is pending.
• T&E: electric trucks are cheaper than diesel in 6 of 9 major EU markets; five-year savings reach €100,000 in the Netherlands and €85,000 in Germany. publication date to be confirmed

⚖️ Legal and regulatory

• ⚠️ Romania, 1 October: distance-based TollRo replaces the rovinieta for vehicles over 3.5 t. For 12 t+: 0.48–0.62 RON/km on motorways, 0.24–0.31 RON/km on national roads (by Euro class).
• ⚠️ Spain, 5 October: the digital DeCA becomes mandatory for domestic transport and cabotage; foreign carriers are included. CMR/e-CMR stays valid for international trips.
• ⚠️ United Kingdom, 1 October: the correction period for ENS declaration errors ended on 30 September; penalties can now apply.
• ⚠️ Italy, 1 October: Euro 5 diesel ban in Lombardy (Milan, Brescia, Bergamo, Monza; weekdays 07:30–19:30), commercial vehicles N1–N3 included. Piedmont, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna chose compensatory measures instead of a ban.
• ETS2: Meloni and Babiš asked in Prague on 30 September for the 2028 start to be delayed; Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and the Nordics oppose. The decision goes to the 15–16 October EU summit.
• Enforcement: ROADPOL’s “Focus on the Road” operation runs 5–11 October (phone use while driving); the Truck & Bus week focused on driving and rest times is 16–22 November.
• No new developments this week on the Mobility Package, eFTI or Turkish transit permits (Hungary/Bulgaria/Romania).
• Watching: in mid-September KATAŞ-SEN and the International Drivers’ Association protested at Kapıkule against the Schengen 90/180 rule and customs waiting times; a visa exemption for drivers remains on the agenda.

🏢 Companies

• GEODIS (1 October): acquiring about half of France’s Deret group; 2025 revenue €300M, 28 logistics sites, 180 trucks, 2,400 employees. Closing expected end-2026/early 2027 after competition approval.
• DSV: the Schenker integration is due to finish by end-2026; shares are down about 23% year to date. to be confirmed
• No notable news this week for Girteka, Raben or Waberer’s.

🎯 Recommended actions

Procurement: On every lane through Romania, ask carriers to show the post-1 October TollRo cost as a separate line and check the difference against the rovinieta period in figures. With diesel above €2.2/L, move fuel escalation to a monthly, symmetric formula (one that also works when prices fall) linked to the EU Weekly Oil Bulletin. Get written confirmation of DeCA readiness from carriers doing cabotage in Spain, and keep post-2028 carbon costs as an open clause in long-term contracts until the ETS2 decision is clear.

Operations: Take Euro 5 diesel vehicles off Lombardy plans or move deliveries to after 19:30 on weekdays. Route refuelling to cheaper countries on the way rather than expensive ones such as Denmark and Germany. Check ENS data before loading for UK shipments; brief drivers on phone use during the 5–11 October enforcement week and track Schengen 90/180-day counters weekly.