The French government has announced a shift in energy relief for drivers, replacing the 2023 fuel discount with a new support measure. Under the plan, eligible low‑income drivers would receive a one‑time payment of 100 euros. An estimated 10 million people could benefit, according to a statement by Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne on Wednesday.
She described the payment as a real‑world reduction for those who travel moderate distances; for example, a driver covering around 12,000 kilometers annually could see a savings of about 0.10 euros per liter at the pump. In an interview with RTL, Borne noted that this amount corresponds to roughly the yearly average income of many French workers, implying that the benefit would largely reach the middle‑income brackets—roughly 10 million workers over the coming year.
To receive the aid, claimants must visit the French Treasury website, register their vehicle registration details, and submit an application to demonstrate the need for transportation to work. The government emphasized that the program will be calibrated to household circumstances.
Specifically, Borne explained that for a household with two adult earners and two vehicles, the aid could be doubled to 200 euros. She also indicated that the support would not be limited to cars; two‑wheelers would be eligible as well, broadening the reach of the relief to motorcycles and mopeds used for commuting.
The government intends to maintain this new assistance framework while continuing to address rising energy costs, but with a targeted focus on households that have been hardest hit. The aim is to avoid universal, indiscriminate discounts and instead concentrate resources where the impact on daily commuting is most pronounced. The transition includes a reduction from the previous measure, which had offered roughly 30 euro cents per liter, down to the new scale, with the program set to run through December 31 of the current year.
According to press reports, the prior fuel discount represented a substantial fiscal outlay, with an estimated cost to the state of around 8 billion euros in 2022. The government’s budget for the new system in 2023 was projected at about 1.5 billion euros, reflecting the more targeted approach and a shift in how support is delivered to drivers.
In neighboring Spain, officials are weighing whether to extend the existing aid measure that provides a 20‑cent per liter subsidy on fuel. The decision, expected in the coming days, would determine whether the support continues beyond December 31 or is limited to professional groups or vulnerable populations only. (Citation: French government policy announcements; press coverage in national outlets and government briefings.)