Irritation is growing among gas station owners in the border region between Belgium and the Netherlands.

Dutch gas stations have seen revenue drop by an average of 10-20% in recent weeks due to the sharp rise in fuel prices driven by the conflict in the Middle East.

In Belgium, on the other hand, gas station owners are rubbing their hands with glee as many Dutch people from the border region are coming to Belgium to fill up – for a 50-liter tank, drivers in Belgium are saving up to €39.

Although the Belgians are also fed up with fuel tourism, which causes long lines at their usual gas stations.

Highest fuel taxes in the EU

According to Martin van Eijk, chairman of the Dutch gas station industry association Drive, revenue at some Dutch gas stations has even fallen by 40 to 50%.

The drive has already called on the Dutch government to either increase the fuel excise tax rebate again or lower the VAT due to the sharp rise in pump prices.

“But the government keeps saying it’s not as bad as it seems,” says Van Eijk. According to him, the government is the only beneficiary of the additional VAT and excise tax revenues generated by higher fuel prices. “That extra revenue should be returned to gas station owners and consumers.”

The national recommended retail price for Euro 95 in the Netherlands is now 2.541 euros, a new record. For Euro 98, it is 2.739 euros. The diesel price is now 2.568 euros, also the highest price ever.

The Netherlands usually has the highest fuel taxes in the entire European Union. For every liter of gasoline, over €1,22 goes directly to the treasury (excise tax + VAT).

As of January of this year, the temporary excise tax reduction has also been permanently discontinued.

The government sets prices in Belgium

In Belgium, the total tax burden is around €0,88 per liter. And unlike in the Netherlands, where oil companies such as Shell or BP set their own recommended prices, the Belgian government intervenes directly through the Program Agreement, thereby setting a daily maximum price. No gas station owner is allowed to charge more than that amount.

Fuel prices in Belgium have also risen sharply in the meantime, but they are still significantly lower than in the Netherlands.

The maximum price for 95-octane gasoline (E10) is currently €1.836 per liter. It has been since April 2024 that the price was this high.

For 98-octane gasoline (E5), the maximum price is €1.902 per liter, an increase of 8.6 euro cents. A liter of diesel now also costs more than €2 at the pump in Belgium.

“Belgians are fed up with it.”

High fuel prices in the Netherlands do not yet seem to be leading to fewer cars on the road, as people are leaving their cars at home more often. Nor has the Dutch railway company NS seen an increase in ticket sales due to travelers taking the train more often.

However, because many Dutch people are crossing into Belgium to fill up, long lines are forming at gas stations in some areas. – partly because they aren’t equipped to handle such large numbers of customers.

“The Belgians are fed up with it,” says Van Eijk. “As a result, we’re seeing significant traffic jams on the roads.”

Some Belgian border municipalities have even threatened to impose, or are already imposing, an extra tax per fuel hose to compensate for the inconvenience.

In places like Essen, traffic police are now permanently deployed to manage the chaos around the gas stations.