Natural gas imports into Europe by country 2021

Germany has the largest import volume of natural gas among European countries. In 2021, Germany bought roughly 84.9 billion cubic meters of natural gas from outside trading partners. This was followed by Italy, which imported 73 billion cubic meters worth. That year, overall natural gas imports into the region increased as economic activity in many countries recovered.

Where is natural gas imported from?

Natural gas may be imported either in its gaseous state via pipelines or as LNG (liquefied natural gas). The European continent has primarily relied on imports via pipelines from large producing neighbors such as Russia. However, with the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war and sanctions imposed on Russian energy imports, supply routes have shifted. Although Russian gas dependence remains high, particularly in Eastern European countries, expansion of LNG infrastructure has allowed for Europe to become the main destination for LNG from the United States. Within the span of one year, LNG imports from the U.S. had doubled in multiple European countries.

Production declines as consumption remains high

The European Union’s production of natural gas has been in decline for decades, and by 2022 fell to a low of 41 billion cubic meters. In comparison, natural gas consumption remains comparatively high, with the fossil fuel largely used for heating, electricity generation, and industrial purposes.