Germany will refrain from lowering taxes on petrol, officials said on Wednesday, after the escalating crisis in the Middle East caused a price spike at pumps in Europe's largest economy and beyond.

"That's not on the agenda," Economy Minister Katherina Reiche said when asked by journalists about a possible comeback of the three-month tax relief created to cushion the blow for consumers during the 2022 energy crisis that emerged after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Here are some details:

• Prices at German pumps surged this week, in some cases by over 20 cents to 2 euros per litre of regular petrol, or around $8.80 per U.S. gallon, including taxes

• The 2022 tax relief was issued by the previous German government to soften the shock of rising energy prices

• Many experts and climate activists criticised the measure at the time as an ineffective giveaway

• Monika Schnitzer, a leading economist, told Reuters on Wednesday that consumers should use less petrol: "Cancelling this (price) signal by offering a fuel rebate would mean that no one would change their behaviour, and the government would only incur high costs."

-Reporting by Christian Kraemer, writing by Thomas Seythal, editing by Miranda Murray/Reuters