The second period during which EU Member States were mandated to cut their gas consumption by 15% compared to the average of the previous five years, concluded at the end of March. Similar to last year, Hungary reduced its consumption by 20%, surpassing the mandatory limit, local media reports report.
The European Union introduced a 15% mandatory savings requirement from August 2022, until the end of March 2023 due to the international energy crisis caused by the Russo-Ukrainian war, as stated by the Ministry for Energy. Member States collectively reduced their gas consumption by an average of 17.7%.
Hungary outperformed by cutting its consumption by around 20%.
The community target was 8.79 billion cubic meters (bcm), compared to the baseline of 10.34 bcm. The actual figures were again more favourable, with just over 8 bcm of gas used between April 2023 and March 2024, representing another 20% reduction.
The previously mandatory provision will now transition into a recommendation from April 2024 onward. Hungary maintains that the definition of the energy mix should remain a national competence, and it will no longer support contrary proposals.
Nevertheless, Hungary has consistently surpassed the required level of energy efficiency in two consecutive periods.
