The authorities are considering the temporary return of Euro-2 standard fuel.

      Russian authorities are considering the possibility of temporarily allowing the production and circulation of gasoline and diesel fuel of environmental classes "Euro-2," "Euro-3," and "Euro-4." It is expected that such rules will be in effect until July 2027, and they will become one of the measures to stabilize the situation in the fuel market. The possibility of importing fuel of similar standards without applying the technical regulations of the EAEU is also being discussed.

      The need for such measures is related to the supply shortage that has arisen against the backdrop of rising demand and declining stocks of petroleum products. Recently, there have been supply disruptions in several regions, and some gas station networks have imposed restrictions on fuel sales.

      As noted by "Kommersant," the transition to lower environmental standards will allow the use of crude oil without deep processing, which could increase gasoline production by hundreds of thousands of tons per month. In addition, this will open up opportunities for importing cheaper fuel.

      At the same time, experts warn that "Euro-2" class gasoline contains significantly more sulfur and other impurities compared to "Euro-5." According to experts, its use may negatively affect the operation of new cars, although a significant portion of the old vehicle fleet is still designed for lower quality fuel.