Czech Fuel Price Cap Expires, German Drivers Rush The Border
Prague imposed the cap in April after Middle East oil shocks, keeping Czech fuel up to €0.80 a liter below Germany's.
- Czech caps ran since April, capping retailer margins at 3 crowns (€0.12) per liter.
- Monday's end sent Prague's PRIM station diesel up 2.40 crowns, to 39.90 crowns per liter.
- The diesel tax cut alone cost the Czech treasury about 1 billion crowns (€41.3 million) monthly.
Why it matters: Capping a price for months doesn't erase the cost, it moves to the treasury, then back to drivers.