Strait of Hormuz "blockade," multiple countries announce emergency response measures

Recently, tensions in the Middle East have escalated, and the vital energy transportation route, the Strait of Hormuz, has experienced disruptions, impacting international energy supplies. Multiple governments announced emergency measures on April 1.

Croatia:

Releasing 35k tons of diesel from mandatory reserves

Croatian Economy Minister Ant Šušnjar said on April 1 that the government has decided to release 35k tons of diesel from its mandatory oil and petroleum product reserves into the market. According to local media reports, this release accounts for about 5% of its mandatory reserves, equivalent to Croatia’s four days of consumption.

South Korea:

Public agency vehicle restrictions from April 8, implementing “odd-even” license plate limits

The South Korean government announced on April 1 that starting April 8 local time, restrictions on public agency vehicles will be upgraded from the previous “odd-even” license plate restrictions on weekdays to a stricter “odd-even” limit.

Additionally, the government decided that from 0:00 on April 2 local time, the crude oil resource security crisis alert level will be raised from Level 2 “Attention” to Level 3 “Warning,” and the natural gas security crisis alert will be elevated from Level 1 “Concern” to Level 2 “Notice.”

Malaysia:

Government agencies and affiliated companies to implement work-from-home starting April 15

On April 1, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar announced that to address global energy supply tensions, the Malaysian Cabinet has decided that from April 15, all government departments, agencies, and related companies will fully implement a work-from-home policy.

Australia:

Prime Minister calls on citizens to conserve fuel

Australian Prime Minister Albanese delivered a rare nationwide televised speech on April 1, warning that the impact of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on the Australian economy will last a long time. He urged the public to conserve fuel, use public transportation as much as possible, and avoid panic buying fuel.

High natural gas prices: UK introduces new regulations to promote energy transition

The UK has historically depended heavily on natural gas, but its storage capacity is relatively limited, which amplifies external shocks. Currently, the UK government is trying to accelerate its energy transition to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

BBC reporter Yang Jingjing: In response to the energy price fluctuations caused by tensions in the Middle East, the UK market reacted notably. Data shows that in early March, when the U.S. and Israel launched military strikes against Iran, UK natural gas prices surged by about 70% within a week. Rising energy costs further fueled inflation expectations. UK Energy Minister stated that the Middle East conflict underscores the importance of developing clean energy to ensure the UK’s energy security and free it from fossil fuel market constraints.

Recently, new UK regulations require all new homes in England to install heat pumps and solar panels. Many communities have already considered this during construction—replacing traditional gas heating with heat pumps and combining rooftop photovoltaic systems can reduce residents’ energy expenses and help ease national electricity demand. However, these regulations will only take effect from 2028.

Poland introduces measures to stabilize oil prices

BBC reporter Zhang Juan: Due to the ongoing escalation of the Middle East situation, international crude oil prices have risen, with Poland’s oil prices increasing by over 30% in the past month. To mitigate the impact of rising energy prices on residents and the transportation sector, and to counter potential inflation, the Polish government recently announced a reduction in fuel VAT and lowered fuel excise taxes to the minimum allowed by the EU.

Starting from March 31 local time, Poland implemented a package of measures, reducing fuel VAT from 23% to 8%. It also set a daily maximum price for refined oil products, with violations subject to fines up to 1 million zloty (about 1.85 million RMB).

After the new regulations took effect, fuel prices in Poland decreased by about 2 RMB per liter. For example, the maximum price for 95-octane gasoline is now 6.16 zloty per liter (about 11.4 RMB), and diesel is capped at 7.6 zloty per liter (about 14 RMB). Following the price cuts, many gas stations saw increased customer traffic.

Germany enacts new regulation:

Gas stations can only raise prices once per day

In neighboring Germany, a regulation effective April 1 stipulates that gas stations can only increase fuel prices once daily at noon. Price reductions are not restricted by time. Violators may face fines up to 100k euros (about 800k RMB). The regulation also grants the national anti-monopoly authority greater powers to combat issues like inflated fuel prices.

European countries intensify new regulations to address rising energy prices and ease inflationary pressures

Additionally, Austria has cut fuel taxes starting April 1.

Sweden’s government has reduced VAT on food and beverages sold in stores and restaurants’ takeout from 12% to 6% to ease inflation, and has proposed lowering gasoline taxes from May 1.

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