In the first half of 2025, the European Union reduced pipeline gas imports by 9 percent compared to the same period last year, according to data from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). This decrease reflects both a growing reliance on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and ongoing efforts to curb demand.
This decline follows a more significant reduction between 2021 and 2024, when pipeline gas purchases fell by over 30 percent. The shift has been driven by energy efficiency policies and the steady expansion of renewable energy generation, which have both limited gas consumption. Although combined pipeline and LNG imports rose by 3.4 percent in the first six months of 2025, IEEFA forecasts that Europe’s overall gas consumption will start to decline after 2026.
Since early 2022, EU member states have spent around 380 billion euros on pipeline gas, with 83 billion euros paid to Russia. The halt of Russian gas transit through Ukraine earlier this year contributed to the recent decrease, prompting several countries to reroute supply and optimize existing infrastructure.
The EU has committed to phasing out Russian oil and gas by the end of 2027. Despite this goal, Russian pipeline deliveries via Turkey have increased in recent years. In the first half of 2025, Norway was the bloc’s largest pipeline supplier with a 55 percent share, followed by Algeria at 19 percent and Russia via Turkey at 10 percent. Year-on-year, imports from Azerbaijan, Libya, and Norway fell, while volumes from Algeria, Russia via Turkey, Turkey, and the UK showed modest increases.
IEEFA warns that the structural decline in EU gas demand is not yet matched by sufficient progress in renewable energy deployment and efficiency measures. They argue that accelerating investment in solar, wind, heat pumps, and modern grid systems will enhance Europe’s energy security, reduce vulnerability to volatile gas prices, and lower dependence on LNG.
