Eurostat: Bulgaria had largest increase in household gas prices in EU
Between the first half of 2018 and the first half of 2019, the largest increase in household gas prices in the European Union was in Bulgaria, EU statistics agency Eurostat said on November 26.
Between the first half of 2018 and the first half of 2019, the largest decreases in household gas prices, in national currencies, were in Denmark (-1.7 per cent), Hungary (-1.6 per cent) and Austria (-1.3 per cent).
By contrast, the largest increase was registered in Bulgaria (+18.3 per cent), ahead of Latvia (+15.8 per cent), and Estonia (+14.2 per cent).
Expressed in euro, average household gas prices in the first half of 2019 were lowest in Hungary and Romania (both 3.5 euro per 100 kWh) and Croatia (3.8 euro) and highest in Sweden (11.8 euro), the Netherlands (9.2 euro) and Denmark (8.6 euro), Eurostat said.
In the first half of 2019, average household electricity prices in the EU increased slightly compared with the first half of 2018 (20 euro per 100 kWh), standing at 21 euro per 100 kWh, the statistics agency said.
Average gas prices in the EU were stable and stood at six euro per 100 kWh in the first half of 2019.
Taxes and levies accounted for more than a third (37 per cent) of the electricity bills charged to households in the EU in the first half of 2019. For gas bills, the corresponding share was 27 per cent.
Between the first half of 2018 and the first half of 2019, the largest decreases in household electricity prices, in national currencies, were observed in Denmark (-4.3 per cent) and Portugal (-4.1 per cent), followed by Poland (-3.1 per cent) and Greece (-1.3 per cent).
By contrast, the largest increase was registered in the Netherlands (+20.3 per cent), ahead of Cyprus (+16.4 per cent), Lithuania (+14.4 per cent) and the Czech Republic (+12.0 per cent).
Expressed in euro, average household electricity prices in the first half of 2019 were lowest in Bulgaria (9.9 euro per 100 kWh), Hungary (11.2 euro) and Lithuania (12.5 euro) and highest in Germany (30.9 euro), Denmark (29.8 euro) and Belgium (28.4 euro), Eurostat said.
(Photo: Jayesh Nair)
