The energy ministry has reported that since last April, Hungary has reduced its gas consumption by 20%, similarly to the previous one-year period, as against the European requirement of 15%.
Between 2017 and 2022, the country used an annual 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas on average, which has now been reduced to nearly 8 billion cubic meters, the ministry said. The ministry’s statement added that other EU members reduced their consumption by an average 17.7%. The statement noted that the EU directive introduced in August 2022 in response to an international energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, will be maintained as a recommendation for members. “Hungary’s consistent position is that defining a member’s energy mix should stay a national competency; Hungary will not support any proposals running against that position,” the ministry added in its statement.