In the first half of 2020, average household electricity prices in the European Union (EU) decreased slightly compared with the first half of 2019 (€21.6 per 100 kWh), standing at €21.3 per 100 kWh. Average gas prices in the EU were nearly stable and stood at €6.6 per 100 kWh in the first half of 2020. Electricity prices fell in 16 EU Member States during the first half of 2020. Gas prices fell in 18 of the 24 EU Member States, which report natural gas prices in the household sector, during the first half of 2020.
Taxes and levies accounted for 40% of the electricity bills charged to households in the EU in the first half of 2020. For natural gas, the corresponding share of taxes and levies was at a third (33%) of household bills.
Largest fall in electricity prices in the Netherlands, highest increase in Lithuania
Between the first half of 2019 and the first half of 2020, the largest decreases in household electricity prices, in national currencies, were observed in the Netherlands (-31.0%), followed by Latvia (-12.8%), Slovenia (-11.4%), Sweden (-10.0%) and Estonia (-8.9%). Tax decreases mainly drove the reduction in the Netherlands, while the cost of energy was the main factor for price reductions in Latvia, Slovenia, Sweden and Estonia. In contrast, the largest increase was registered in Lithuania (+13.6%), ahead of Poland (+12.9%), Luxembourg (+10.5%), Romania (+9.1%) and Czechia (+8.0%). Cost of energy was the main driver for these increases.
Expressed in euro, average household electricity prices in the first half of 2020 were lowest in Bulgaria (€10.0 per 100 kWh), Hungary (€10.3) and Estonia (€12.4) and highest in Germany (€30.4), Denmark (€28.3) and Belgium (€27.9).
Source dataset: nrg_pc_204
Largest fall in gas prices in Latvia, highest increase in the Netherlands
Between the first half of 2019 and the first half of 2020, the largest decreases in household gas prices, in national currencies, were observed in Latvia (-29.4%), Lithuania (-19.8 %), Sweden (-16.0%) and Portugal (-15.4%). Tax decreases mainly drove the reduction in Sweden. Cost of energy was the main factor for the price reduction in Latvia, while both affected prices in Lithuania and Portugal. In contrast, the largest increase was registered in the Netherlands (+8.0%), ahead of France (+7.3%) and Croatia (+5.2%). Tax increases mainly affected the increase in the Netherlands. Cost of energy was the main driver for the increases in France and Croatia.
Expressed in euro, average household gas prices in the first half of 2020 were lowest in Latvia, Hungary and Romania (each €3.2 per 100 kWh) and Lithuania (€3.6) and highest in the Netherlands (€10.0), Sweden (€9.8), France (€7.9) and Denmark (€7.5).
Source dataset: nrg_pc_202
For more information:
- Statistics Explained articles on Electricity price statistics and Natural gas price statistics
- Visualisation tool for Energy Prices
Note: The European Union (EU) includes 27 EU Member States. The United Kingdom left the European Union on 31 January 2020. Further information is published here.
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