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According to Eurostat data, electricity and gas prices have increased significantly in all member states, yet taxes and charges on bills have decreased, reports VG, a Hungarian economic portal.
Average household electricity prices in the European Union rose sharply in the first half of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021, with the price per 100 kWh jumping from €22 to €25.3. As for gas prices, they rose from €6.4/100 kWh to €8.6/100 kWh. Recently, the wholesale prices of electricity and gas have also increased significantly, mainly due to the geopolitical situation, the Russian military aggression in Ukraine and the EU’s response to this, namely sanctions.
However, taxes and levies on final electricity and gas bills for households have fallen significantly over the same period compared to a year ago, as Member States have introduced government grants and subsidies to mitigate high energy costs.
Photo: Eurostat
According to figures published on the European Commission’s official website, household electricity prices in 22 EU countries rose in the first half of 2022 compared with the first half of 2021. The largest increase in national currency terms was recorded in the Czech Republic (+62 percent), ahead of Latvia (+59 percent) and Denmark (+57 percent).
Among member states, household electricity prices decreased in five: the Netherlands (-54 percent), Slovenia (-16 percent), Poland (-3 percent), Portugal and Hungary -1 percent). The decreases in the Netherlands, Slovenia and Poland were related to state subsidies and allowances, while in Hungary prices are regulated.
Photo: Eurostat
In euro terms, average household electricity prices in the first half of 2022 were lowest in the Netherlands (€5.9/100 kWh), Hungary (€9.5) and Bulgaria (€10.9), while the highest were in Denmark (€45.6), Belgium (€33.8), Germany (€32.8) and Italy (€31.2).
Between the first half of 2021 and the first half of 2022, gas prices rose in 23 of the 24 EU Member States for which data are available. Gas prices increased most in Estonia (+154%), Lithuania (+110%) and Bulgaria (+108%), mainly due to energy costs. There was only one Member State where the price of natural gas for household consumers fell slightly over the same period: Hungary (-0.5 percent ), where prices are regulated.