Oil and petroleum consumption at record low in 2020: Considering energy and non-energy use, the largest drops in consumption were recorded in Luxembourg (-21% compared with 2019), followed by Malta (-16%) and Greece, Spain, Sweden and Slovenia (all -15%).

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  1. In 2020, the final consumption of oil and petroleum products for energy purposes in the EU fell to 310 Mtoe (-10%) in just one year, reaching the lowest level ever recorded in the 31-year time series.

    This shows the effects of the COVID restrictions, which started in the first few months of 2020 in most EU Member States.

    From a high of 408 Mtoe in 2004, the consumption reached a low point in 2014 at 333 Mtoe and had started increasing again before the shock of the pandemic restrictions.

    In 2020, the pandemic-related restrictions affected consumption in the Member States to different degrees.

    Considering energy and non-energy use, the largest drops in consumption were recorded in Luxembourg (-21% compared with 2019), followed by Malta (-16%) and Greece, Spain, Sweden and Slovenia (all -15%). Small increases in consumption were recorded only in Finland and Slovakia (around +0.4%).

    In 2020, other record-breaking figures emerged on oil and petroleum products. These include the highest import dependency (97%), the lowest level in crude oil production (18.7 million tonnes) and the sharpest drop in petroleum products production (-12% compared with 2019).

    The countries’ relative share of total final EU consumption is affected by the size and structure of their economies, with Germany continuing to lead (23%), followed by France (16%), Italy and Spain (both 10%).

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