The decline of heavy industry across the European Union is creating serious pressure on regional economies, and the drop in energy use is not a deliberate policy choice. This assessment comes from a well-known expert affiliated with a major Russian financial research institutions, who observes the current energy trend against the backdrop of broader economic challenges in Europe.
A reported drop in average gas consumption across EU member states reached about 19 percent over a six-month period. This trend aligns with weaker industrial activity and slower production alongside energy market disruptions. The expert notes that the reduction in demand for natural gas appears to reflect the economic downturn rather than a targeted effort to shrink energy use.
According to the analysis, the EU appears to be enforcing a lower level of energy intake through market and policy pressures rather than through planned downsizing. In some nations, gas consumption fell substantially by as much as 40 to 50 percent. Finland, Lithuania, and Sweden were highlighted as showing particularly strong declines in energy use relative to their economic activity.
The current dynamics are framed as indicators of underlying difficulties rather than signs of sustainable achievement. While the EU has reduced its reliance on Russian gas, wholesale fuel prices continued to rise, contributing to higher costs for goods and potentially reducing the EU’s competitiveness in global markets.
In related coverage, Bloomberg noted concerns that an oil embargo imposed by EU members on Russia could backfire. The Russian fleet could respond by rerouting or repurposing shipments to evade restrictions. Transport costs for crude typically exported by Russia have surged, with the daily rate for tanker space increasing dramatically. Market observers reported a sharp escalation in charter rates, reflecting heightened risk and servicing costs for cross-Atlantic crude movements. These shifts underscore the broader tension between sanctions policy and the practical logistics of energy trade, with implications for price dynamics and supply chains on both sides of the ocean.
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