It's a small figure that can have a significant impact on a construction site. A decree published on Sunday, May 10th in the Official Journal formalizes fuel aid for SMEs in the building and public works sector, following government announcements at the end of April in response to rising prices: 20 euro cents per liter of non-road diesel (GNR), the kind that fuels the machinery, excavators and machines that consume hours of work... and liters.
Specifically, the compensation targets the volumes of non-road diesel (GNR) billed during the month of May 2026, from the 1st to the 31st inclusive. The scheme is aimed at companies with a maximum of 20 employees operating in highly field-based sectors: road construction, tunnel maintenance, demolition, earthworks, and structural work. And the government is setting a limit right away: no more than €4.000 per company. Aid, yes, but not a blank check.
Behind the announcement lies the administrative and financial filter, the one that business owners know by heart. To be eligible, a company must have an annual turnover of less than €50 million or a balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million. Another, more sensitive condition: no outstanding tax debts exceeding €1.500. The message is clear: public money goes to those who are up-to-date with their obligations.
A helping hand, with a ceiling and safeguards.
As for the application process, there's no physical counter or old-fashioned paperwork. The application must be submitted electronically between June 8th and July 3rd, along with a sworn statement and invoices for the purchase of non-road diesel (GNR) for the month of May. Purchases must be recorded in a spreadsheet, following a template available on impots.gouv.fr. We're in the era of forms, quick on paper, but sometimes more complicated in practice when time and manpower are lacking.
A detail that changes the atmosphere: the decree provides for the repayment of aid exceeding €600 in certain cases. If the gross operating surplus for the fiscal year including May 2026 is positive and reaches at least 98% of that of the previous fiscal year, the company may have to return part of the sum. Underlying this is a clear rationale: to support those put under pressure by the rise in non-road diesel fuel prices, and to avoid subsidizing those who are managing almost as well as before.
Ultimately, this 20-cent subsidy acts as a buffer, not as a fundamental overhaul of energy costs on construction sites. Small construction companies, often caught between already signed contracts and soaring fuel prices, will see a bit of breathing room, provided they meet all the requirements and adhere to the schedule. The unspoken question remains: if prices remain high, how long will this kind of budgetary stopgap last before becoming a regular arrangement between the government and construction sites?
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