Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
European Union demand for natural gas has fallen for two years in a row. After a 13.3% annual decline in 2022, demand fell another 7.4% in 2023, reaching a total of 12.72 million TJ in 2023. This also represents the lowest demand on record since backlog monthly data collection began in 2008.
This reduction has been affected by measures outlined in Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1369 on coordinated measures to reduce demand for gas, as part of the REPowerEU plan to end the EU's dependence on Russian fossil fuels, as well as the ongoing energy crisis and increasing energy prices.
Most European Union countries continued to reduce their demand in 2023, according to what was issued by the European Statistical Office in Brussels, “Eurostat”.
In 2023, the largest natural gas consumers in the European Union reduced their demand. Germany recorded a demand of 2.96 million TJ (-3.8% compared to 2022), Italy 2.35 million TJ (-10.0%), and France 1.36 million TJ (-11.7%).
Looking across all EU countries, demand fell in 21 of the 27 countries, with increases recorded in Finland (+25.6%), Sweden (+11.1%), Poland (+5.3%), Malta (+4.5%) and Denmark. (+). 1.1%) and Croatia (+0.8%).