The fuel shortage in France continues.

As of Monday evening, at least one fuel was unavailable at almost every third gas station in the country.

The supply situation is even more critical in regions such as Hauts-de-France in north-eastern France, where almost every second petrol station is experiencing bottlenecks.

Niklas Zaboji

Economic correspondent in Paris

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Several prefectures have restricted the sale of canisters and set up dedicated lanes for doctors and emergency workers.

Long queues formed in front of gas stations across the country.

In a few cases, the delivery volume was limited to 30 liters for private drivers and 120 liters for trucks.

France's Energy Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher announced last Thursday that the situation should improve in two or three days, but there was no relaxation.

After 29.7 percent on Sunday, according to government information, 29.4 percent of the gas stations had bottlenecks on Monday, i.e. almost as many.

The Ministry of Energy notes that it has freed up part of its strategic fuel reserves, opened depots, increased imports of petrol and diesel from abroad and lifted the Sunday driving ban for trucks.

As a result, there were significantly more deliveries to the particularly affected regions.

Crisis meeting on Monday evening

However, the main reason for the fuel shortage, the ongoing strike at several of the country's major refineries, remains.

On the one hand, the two plants of the American oil company Exxon-Mobil are affected.

On the other hand, half of the plants of the energy group Totalenergies (formerly Total) are idle, including the largest French production facility near Le Havre in Normandy.

While Exxon-Mobil management held initial talks with employee representatives on Monday, Totalenergies and CGT have yet to move forward.

Rather, the union, classified as more radical, announced on Monday that the strike would be extended to 15 Totalenergies motorway service stations.

In view of the oil and gas company's billions in profits, she is demanding a wage increase of 10 percent.

The group refuses.

He recalls that workers have already received an average wage increase of 3.5 percent this year and offers to bring the forthcoming wage negotiations forward from November to October - provided the CGT lets go of its "blockade".

The French government is growing dissatisfied with the situation at the petrol pumps, especially since fuel prices have risen at the same time and panic buying is apparently taking place.

"Do not build up precautionary stocks, because that will make the situation worse," appealed Energy Minister Pannier-Runacher.

She clearly criticized the continuation of the refinery strike.

"There is no justification for making difficulties for the French in their everyday life and for blockading our country," she said.

Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, whose appeal for the "responsibility" of the players in the refinery strike, like that of President Emmanuel Macron, had died down, called several ministers together for an emergency meeting on Monday evening.

In addition to the refinery strike, the state tank discount is also the reason for the bottlenecks at French gas stations.

It was raised from 18 to 30 cents per liter of petrol and diesel on September 1st and has not only made refueling and driving cheaper for residents, but also boosted petrol tourism near the borders with Belgium and Germany.