In 2020, the final consumption of oil and petroleum products for energy purposes in the EU fell to 310 Mtoe (-10%) in just one year, reaching the lowest level ever recorded in the 31-year time series. This shows the effects of the COVID restrictions, which started in the first few months of 2020 in most EU Member States.
From a high of 408 Mtoe in 2004, the consumption reached a low point in 2014 at 333 Mtoe and had started increasing again before the shock of the pandemic restrictions.
In 2020, the pandemic-related restrictions affected consumption in the Member States to different degrees. Considering energy and non-energy use, the largest drops in consumption were recorded in Luxembourg (-21 % compared with 2019), followed by Malta (-16 %) and Greece, Spain, Sweden and Slovenia (all -15 %). Small increases in consumption were recorded only in Finland and Slovakia (around +0.4 %).
In 2020, other record-breaking figures emerged on oil and petroleum products. These include the highest import dependency (97 %), the lowest level in crude oil production (18.7 million tonnes) and the sharpest drop in petroleum products production (-12 % compared with 2019).
The countries’ relative share of total final EU consumption is affected by the size and structure of their economies, with Germany continuing to lead (23%), followed by France (16 %), Italy and Spain (both 10 %).
For more information:
Eurostat Statistics Explained article on Oil and petroleum products – a statistical overview
Eurostat dedicated section on energy
Eurostat database on energy
Eurostat energy visualisations page