Fleets committed to operating 100% diesel vehicles will be relieved to hear that a consultant’s report advising the European Commission on long-term oil policy has recommended that Brussels increasingly favours diesel over petrol use.

Written by Texas-based Purvin & Gertz, the paper notes that despite recent technical improvements to petrol refining, diesel consumption still emits much less CO2.

It said: “CO2 emissions from these latest engines remain higher than those from their diesel-powered equivalents.

"If the Commission is to maintain its current position regarding the lowering of CO2 emissions, it should look to encourage as large a consumer uptake of diesels as possible."

It added that “allowing tax breaks either through lowering the purchase price of diesel vehicles and/or adopting an EU-wide policy of lower diesel fuel duty compared with petrol can help further the acceptance of diesels”.