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Diari de Catalunya

Alt Empordà: A Key Fuel Sales Hub Due to Border Effect

The region benefits from petrol price differences with France, attracting cross-border buyers.

Generic image of a hand filling a car's fuel tank at a petrol station.
IA

Generic image of a hand filling a car's fuel tank at a petrol station.

The geostrategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial transit point for global oil, directly impacts fuel prices in Alt Empordà, where petrol and diesel sales are a fundamental economic pillar.

This Catalan region, particularly towns like La Jonquera and the vicinity of Figueres, has seen a significant increase in French buyers crossing the border to fill their tanks. This trend is primarily due to the price difference between the two countries, a phenomenon also observed with other products like tobacco.
The reduction of VAT by the Spanish government has exacerbated this disparity. Last Palm Sunday, the price of 98-octane petrol in Alt Empordà was around 1.68 euros per liter, whereas at petrol stations in Perpignan and its surroundings, the same fuel exceeded two euros per liter. This long-standing price gap highlights the economic significance of fuel sales in the region.
The high volume of trucks traversing the region and the border effect with France make fuel sales a weighty sector for the local economy. The sight of French-registered vehicles filling not only their tanks but also large jerrycans in their trunks has become common, underscoring the importance of this cross-border commercial activity.

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