Serbia Extends Oil Export Ban to September 30
Serbia's government extended the ban on oil and oil derivative exports by another month, to September 30, 2026, while the 20 percent excise tax cut expires as early as September 6.
Serbia’s government has extended the ban on exporting oil and oil derivatives from August 31 to September 30, 2026, pushing the deadline back by another month. The decision was published on August 29 at 10:42 a.m., at the government’s latest session.
The stated reason is preventing a critical shortage. Global developments, according to the explanation attached to the decision, are affecting the supply of this commodity and shrinking the offer on the domestic market.
The ban covers crude oil (tariff code 2709 00 90 00), EURO DIESEL gas oil, EURO EL extra light gas oil, EURO PREMIUM motor gasoline, aviation gasoline, JET A-1 jet fuel, and heating oil. Exports of Euro diesel remain permitted for ship refueling, and aviation gasoline and jet fuel are exempt when used to fuel aircraft. Goods for which customs authorities had already accepted an export declaration before the decision took effect are exempt as well.
The previous amendment was published in Official Gazette No. 50/2026 and was valid through August 31. The government first introduced the ban on March 9, 2026, at an extraordinary session, originally through March 19, and has extended it repeatedly since. Every earlier amendment was signed by Prime Minister Djuro Macut.
Why Does the Excise Tax Cut Expire Before the Export Ban?
At the same session, the government also extended the temporary 20 percent cut in excise taxes on oil derivatives, but only through September 6, 2026, nearly four weeks before the export ban itself expires. The two deadlines now pull apart: exports stay frozen through the end of September, while cheaper fuel at the pump lasts, at the latest, only into the first week of September.
The reduced excise tax rates stand at 61.24 dinars per liter for leaded gasoline, 57.60 dinars for unleaded gasoline, and 59.23 dinars for diesel. The current maximum retail price for Euro diesel is 232 dinars per liter, and for gasoline, 203 dinars.
The measure belongs to the same package the government has run since March: the export ban keeps derivatives from draining out of the domestic market, while the lower excise taxes soften the rise in pump prices. Whether the excise tax deadline will be aligned with the export ban, to the end of September, depends on the government’s next session.
