motorists do not complain not: at the time of the year-end holiday season promote travel, prices at the pump hitting a low point. According to the latest statements of the ministry of the ecological Transition and solidarity, the litre of diesel stood at an average 1,413 euro, down from 1.14 penny compared to last week. The diesel was not dropped to this level since the spring. For its part, the super-unleaded petrol (SP95) reached 1,423 euro, down 0.87 cent: it is a price floor since the beginning of the year. Ditto for the SP98, to 1,487 euro.

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the good news for the consumer are in the wake of the falling oil prices: in London, brent crude just now to cross the bar of $ 50, while it was over $ 80 in the month of October, with a peak at 87 dollars. During the only last week, oil has tumbled more than 10 %. For the government, in full social crisis caused by the revolt of the "yellow vests", this collapse of crude oil could not come at a better time: a few weeks ago, the full of over 100 € and the prospect of an increase of the oil tax in January were the seeds of anger.

today, if appreciable is the decrease at the pump, motorists may not, however, help noticing that the fuel prices do not fall not in the same proportions as the gross. The French Union of petroleum industries (Ufip) said that the provision covers only a third of the price of a litre of fuel. The remains are taxes - VAT and tax on consumption of energy products (TICPE) for the most part - moving the
margin.

As to whether the oil and distributors would pass less quickly to the increase or decrease, the debate is old. In reality, the movements became almost instantaneous, whereas a few years ago, it took between a week and fifteen days to observe appreciable changes.

"At present, the competition is such between the different operators of service-stations that nobody can afford to lag behind when oil prices go down, points out an expert. Moreover, they are under the strict government supervision and are well placed to know that the price of a full is crucial in the light of public opinion."

indeed, in the midst of a crisis of the "yellow vests" the authorities have asked the professionals that they make an effort and eating into their margins. Polite refusals of persons who have stressed time and again that they do not earn more than one euro cent per litre and they can't make an extra effort under the penalty of jeopardizing their economic balance.

In 2018, the price of a litre of diesel has averaged 1,438 euro, compared to 1,233 in 2017. Person is not yet in a position to give a tendency to 2019. One simply knows, since 5 December, that the government has waived any increase in fuel taxes over the next few months.