- The 14 April decree-law makes the revision of transport prices when fuel changes mandatory and automatic.
- The revision must appear on the invoice and non-compliance will carry a specific penalty regime.
- Aid for rail and maritime transport is extended and an ICO counter-guarantee line is activated for transport SMEs and the self-employed.
On 14 April 2026 the Council of Ministers approved a royal decree-law of urgent transport measures that strengthens aid to the sector after fuel prices rose because of the Middle East conflict. Its most relevant measure for road transport companies is legal: the revision of service prices when the fuel price changes becomes mandatory and automatic, must be shown on the invoice and comes with a specific penalty regime.
For rail freight, the decree-law sets direct aid of €15,000 per diesel locomotive in service during 2026, with a total budget of €3.15 million. For maritime transport, it extends existing aid to pure cargo services between mainland ports and the Balearic and Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla, and between ports of the same archipelago, with an additional €7 million. Eurotaxis and taxis adapted for people with reduced mobility are brought into the aid system already approved.
How the revision works
In a transport contract, the price is agreed before the lorry leaves, but fuel is one of the heaviest and most variable costs. When it rises, the carrier absorbs a loss of margin that it often cannot pass on. A classic clause sets a reference index, such as the average diesel price, and the weight of fuel in the price of the service. A revision clause adjusts the price when the fuel cost changes, and the decree-law makes that revision mandatory and automatic: it does not depend on a later negotiation and must be reflected on the invoice.
For those who buy transport, that is, manufacturers, distributors and retailers, it means part of the extra energy cost will reach their logistics purchases, and that failing to apply the revision may lead to penalties. It is worth knowing how it will be calculated and reviewing contracts in force, because fixed-price agreements may be affected by the new rule.
Guarantees for fuel payments
Another measure, linked to the decree-law approved in March, is the ICO state counter-guarantee line, worth €2 billion, of which a first tranche of €500 million is activated. The ICO covers 50% of the bank guarantee for up to three months, with a guaranteed amount generally of up to €2.25 million per guarantee, at no cost to the self-employed person, the SME or the lender. Banks can request the counter-guarantee until 30 June 2026.
It is aimed at self-employed people and SMEs in road freight, and its purpose is to let them keep buying fuel with their suppliers’ fuel cards. It is a liquidity measure: it does not reduce the cost of fuel, but it prevents excess credit risk on the supplier’s side from leaving the carrier unable to refuel. It is a temporary measure, tied to an application period, and each lender will apply its own risk criteria.
What to review
Transport companies should review their contracts with shippers and check whether they include a revision clause and how it is documented on the invoice. If they do not, the new rule may require it. They should also assess with their lender whether they can use the counter-guarantees while the line is open.
Shipping companies, for their part, would do well to update their transport cost forecasts and talk to their suppliers before the invoices arrive. The details applicable to each contract may vary; consult your commercial adviser.
With a cost this variable, the prudent course is to agree in advance how an increase is shared.
This article is general information. It is not legal, tax or investment advice, and it does not take anyone’s particular circumstances into account.
