Norway’s Conservative Party accused of backtracking on promised fuel tax cuts

Norway’s Conservative Party (Høyre) announced Wednesday it would pause planned fuel tax reductions, drawing accusations of deception from business groups who claim politicians had promised the cuts would proceed, Dagbladet reports.

The decision follows warnings that the tax cuts could violate state aid rules under the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement. Four remaining reductions—including cuts for diesel and commercial users—were set to take effect on May 1 after an initial round of tax relief lowered fuel prices on April 1.

Business leaders claim broken promises
Vidar Tellefsen, a spokesman for the protest group Dieselbrølet and owner of a construction firm, said he received assurances from Conservative MPs Ine Eriksen Søreide and Trond Helleland earlier Wednesday that the cuts would go ahead.

“This is completely unacceptable. They’re bluffing us,” Tellefsen told Dagbladet after the party’s reversal. “We would never have left that meeting if we’d known this would happen. It shows you can’t trust politicians—they change their minds in a matter of hours.”

Tellefsen warned of renewed protests if the cuts are delayed, stating his group had already secured promises from Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg that the reductions would be implemented as planned.

Conservatives cite legal concerns
Parliamentary deputy leader Trond Helleland acknowledged the pause but insisted the party still supports lower fuel taxes. “The uncertainty over potential repayment demands must be resolved first,” he said. “Businesses need legal certainty—they shouldn’t risk having to pay back the cuts later.”

Helleland confirmed the industry would ultimately receive the same tax relief approved by Parliament before Easter but stressed the need for a legally compliant solution.

Industry warns of crisis
Tellefsen described the situation as dire for construction firms, pointing to soaring costs for materials like explosives, asphalt, and plastic—driven higher by global conflicts—alongside record fuel prices. “Companies are going bankrupt. If these cuts don’t happen, we’ll escalate our actions,” he said, referencing a April 10 protest where hundreds of vehicles blocked Oslo to demand relief.

The opposition Progress Party and Centre Party criticized the Conservatives’ shift as political maneuvering, while Tellefsen accused the party of abandoning its pro-business stance. “This is a betrayal of small and medium-sized enterprises,” he said.