This report contrasts EU countries’ measures to reduce electricity and gas consumption in various sectors and calls for greater effort in monitoring and evaluating energy-saving measures.
Measures taken by EU states between 1st August 2022 and 31st March 2023 to reduce gas and electricity consumption varied widely. While energy security was maintained, this was also due to specific circumstances – in particular, very high prices for gas and electricity and warm weather. These factors make it unclear whether the EU will be able to repeat these savings and achieve energy security in the coming winter. The extension of the targets for gas use reduction should thus be accompanied by additional energy-saving measures.