Energy import dependency in Europe - statistics & facts

Europe is home to some of the largest economies in the world, and its energy demand has long exceeded local production capacities. Though countries like the United Kingdom were historically major producers of coal, crude oil, and natural gas, depleting domestic reserves and a greater focus on the clean energy transition have resulted in the dependency on energy imports in the EU reaching as high as 60 percent in recent years. In how far this may prove an issue has been made clear by the conundrum European leaders are finding themselves in following the Russia-Ukraine war, namely the continent’s heavy reliance on Russian energy imports.

The role of oil and gas in Europe’s energy sector

Although greater climate change awareness has resulted in many governments more earnestly tackling the energy transition, fossil fuels remain a crucial part of the energy sector. Oil and natural gas are still by far the most consumed primary energy fuel in the EU. Oil and gas are versatile energy sources, used not only for motor fuels, heating, and electricity generation, but also within manufacturing industries such as chemicals and steel. In many of these sectors, fossil fuels are indispensable as renewable alternatives have yet to become profitable. Additionally, the EU’s shift away from nuclear energy following the 2011 Fukushima disaster has put an even greater emphasis on gas usage. This has contributed to natural gas import dependency in the EU rising by over ten percentage points since 2011, reaching 84 percent in 2020.

European dependency on Russian energy imports

Natural gas is traded mainly via pipelines on the continent. Although a few countries, such as Spain, France, and the UK have built a robust LNG infrastructure, pipelines and as such producers in gas-rich Russia are the main source of gas import trading in Europe. In fact, roughly one-third of the natural gas stockpile in Europe originates from Russia-piped gas. And while Western Europe still claims notable self-production - through offshore gas fields in the North Sea - Eastern Europe is especially reliant on imports. Three countries stand out in a ranking of Russian gas dependence in Europe, being 100 percent reliant on their Eastern neighbor for the supply of said fossil fuel. Meanwhile, there were 13 European countries obtaining more than half of their gas supply from Russia. The overall EU energy import value from Russia stood at an estimated 147.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, with crude oil accounting for the largest value share. Although China is by far Russia’s main crude oil export destination, European countries contribute a hefty sum to revenues of local producers such as Gazprom and Rosneft. By value, seven out of the ten largest importers of Russian oil were from Europe – six being EU member states.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by N. Sönnichsen, Nov 10, 2023

Key insights

EU energy import dependency rate
57.5%
EU crude oil consumption
22.13 EJ
Dependence on Russian gas in Germany
49%
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