Paris Haulers Announce Mobilisation from October 21 over Soaring Fuel Prices

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The European road hauliers' organisation OTRE and the independent long-distance carriers' federation FAI announced on Oct 1 a nationwide mobilisation starting Wednesday, Oct 21, with the first rally to be held in Paris.

The trigger is the relentless rise in fuel prices: carriers say they cannot pass the costs on to freight rates, cash flow is under strain, and many small and medium firms are close to breaking point. The government extended its fuel subsidy for "gros rouleurs" (high-mileage drivers) to the end of 2026 and widened it to 5.5 million beneficiaries — but road freight and passenger carriers were excluded. Economy Minister Roland Lescure defended the exclusion by pointing to the existing fuel indexation mechanism; the industry rejects that argument.

The hauliers put forward four core demands: a sharp cut in pump prices; a simplified and strengthened fuel indexation pass-through mechanism built on a single enforceable benchmark based on Comité national routier indicators; extending that mechanism to private passenger-transport contracts; and price-revision clauses in public procurement contracts that fairly reflect violent fuel-cost swings.

In a parallel development, OTRE was received on Sept 29 by Élysée adviser Nicolas Clausset, while the FNTR employers' federation has demanded a government response by mid-October or it will negotiate its own plan of action.