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The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has welcomed reports that the European Commission could be set to investigate the pump price of diesel and petrol. According to reports in The Times, leaked documents show that an enquiry into the relationship between wholesale fuel prices and pump  prices in European countries has already begun.

The request for the investigation came from the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the umbrella organisation for European motoring clubs. RHA chairman Roger King says: "We will be monitoring the FIA/European Commission initiative very closely and adding our thoughts to the inquiry."

The trade association made a similar request to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) at the end of last year, which was rejected on the grounds that there was a lack of evidence. In January the OFT also rejected the possibility of an investigation into the high pump prices in the Shetland, Orkney and Western Isles of Scotland despite calls from local MPs and MSPs.

According to the documents leaked  today, the European Commission says it "stands ready to act expeditiously to stop any anticompetitive behaviour in these markets and thereby protect customers".

In the UK the average price of diesel rose for the first time in eight months to 100.8p/litre in February, according to the AA Fuel Price Report. The rise came ahead of the chancellor's proposed 1.84p/litre rise in fuel duty, set for 1 April.