The Impact of the 2020–2022 Crises on EU Countries’ Independence from Energy Imports, Particularly from Russia

Abstract

The main objective of this article is to evaluate the repercussions of the crises resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine on changes to the European Union’s reliance on energy raw material imports, particularly from Russia. Furthermore, several specific objectives are outlined: to ascertain the EU’s energy balance and any alterations therein, to identify changes in the concentration of energy raw material imports among EU countries during the crises, to determine the level and fluctuations in energy raw material import dependence within the EU and individual member states throughout the crises, and lastly, to assess changes in the concentration of energy raw material imports from Russia in EU countries during the crises. The research encompassed all 27 EU member states as of 31 December 2022, and the examination period spanned 2010 to 2022. The information sources include relevant literature on the subject and data sourced from Eurostat. In conducting the analysis and presenting the data, several methodologies are employed, including descriptive, tabular, and graphical techniques. Additionally, quantitative measures such as the Gini structure concentration coefficient and concentration analysis via the Lorenz curve are utilized. In the initial phase, an analysis of changes to the energy balance of the entire EU in the period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine was carried out. Changes to the concentration of energy imports in EU countries during crises are also shown. Secondly, dependence on imports of individual energy resources for the entire EU was identified. Various changes in this relationship during crises are shown. If the dependence of the entire EU on the import of individual groups of energy resources from Russia were identified, changes in individual EU countries in this respect are indicated. Finally, the changes in the concentration of energy imports from Russia in the EU countries during the crises are shown. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU experienced a slight reduction in dependence on energy raw material imports. However, this reduction was short-lived and mainly attributed to the decrease in energy demand caused by the pandemic. Conversely, the war in Ukraine had a substantial impact, leading to a notable surge in energy raw material imports as a result of stockpiling efforts and the need to safeguard against further disruptions in the energy market. Notably, the EU’s reliance on energy imports from Russia was already considerable. Following the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, imports of oil, petroleum products, and solid fossil fuels experienced significant decline due to imposed sanctions. Nonetheless, restrictions on natural gas imports were comparatively less severe. In 2023, imports of crude oil instead of petroleum products practically ceased, while restrictions in the case of natural gas were not so drastic.