EU gas consumption fell by 17.7 percent in the six months to March

Gas consumption in European Union countries fell by 17.7 percent from August 2022 to March 2023 compared with the average for the previous five years. EU countries therefore exceeded their target of cutting gas consumption by 15 percent over the winter. This is according to data published today by the European statistics office Eurostat. The Czech Republic met the target, although its consumption cut was slightly smaller than the EU average, according to Eurostat data.

Last year, EU countries set a voluntary target of cutting gas consumption by 15 percent by March. The target was one of many emergency measures introduced after Russian supplies fell following the invasion of Ukraine, triggering an energy crisis in Europe.

Most countries met the EU target. Gas consumption increased only in Malta, the smallest gas consumer in Europe, rising by 12.7 percent. Ireland, Slovakia, Spain, Poland, Slovenia and Belgium recorded cuts of less than 15 percent. Finland saw the largest drop, at 55.7 percent. Consumption fell by 40.5 percent in Lithuania and by 37.2 percent in Sweden.