European Union (EU) imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) continued to decline in recent months, falling by 1.2 per cent between March and May 2026, according to a new analysis by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA).

LNG imports into the UK dropped by 20 per cent over the same period.

The analysis found that while many EU countries have reduced their reliance on imported fossil fuels since the latest energy crisis, some have moved in the opposite direction.

“The EU has realised that its 2022 decision to boost LNG imports is no longer sustainable,” said IEEFA Energy Analyst Ana Maria Jaller-Makarewicz. “Supply constraints have prompted a reduction in LNG imports, highlighting the imminent need for further gas demand reduction to avoid jeopardising the bloc’s energy security.”

Germany recorded the sharpest increase in LNG imports among EU members, with volumes surging 72 per cent year-on-year between March and May 2026.

Italy and Belgium also increased imports over the past year.

Despite efforts to curb fossil fuel use, the EU remains heavily dependent on its main LNG suppliers.

During the first 100 days of the war in the Middle East, the US supplied 60 per cent of the bloc's LNG imports, up from 56 per cent a year earlier, while Russia remained a major supplier.

Rising fossil fuel costs and more than 210 emergency measures adopted by member states have contributed to an estimated €60 billion ($69 billion) energy bill linked to the conflict.

At the same time, renewable energy continues to reduce the bloc's exposure to imported fuels.

According to IEEFA, clean energy sources saved the EU €51 billion last year by lowering fossil fuel imports, with solar and wind power delivering the largest benefits.

Consumers are also increasingly turning to low-carbon technologies.

Heat pump sales rose 25 per cent in France, Germany and Poland in the opening months of 2026, while UK energy company Octopus Energy reported a 51 per cent increase in heat pump sales during the first three weeks of March compared with the previous month.

Interest in electric vehicles has also grown across Europe, and more than 27,000 solar installations were completed in the UK in March 2026, the highest monthly total since 2012. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service