In the first half of 2021, average household electricity prices in the EU increased slightly as against the same period of 2020 (€21.3 per 100 kWh), standing at €21.9 per 100 kWh, and average gas prices registered the inverse path, decreasing slightly to €6.4 per 100 kWh in the first half of 2021.

The Eurostat statistical office reported on Wednesday that “taxes and levies accounted for 39% of the electricity bills charged to households in the EU in the first half of 2021. For gas bills, the corresponding share was 36%.”

The European Union statistical office also warns that “more recently, wholesale prices for electricity and gas are increasing substantially across the EU.”

The gas price hikes have been prompted by growing demand coupled with economic recovery from the corona crisis and low supplies at the start of the heating season. Therefore governments across Europe have taken some urgent action to lessen the price shock for households.

Electricity prices across EU in H1, highest rise in Slovenia

Broken down by EU member state concerning electricity price trends, Slovenia saw a 15% rise in electricity prices in the first half of 2021. It was followed by Poland and Romania, with +8% and +7%.

In Croatia, electricity prices for households were slightly lower than in the same period in 2020, according to Eurostat’s report.

The price of electricity in the Netherlands dropped to the largest extent, 10%, due to a reduction in taxes and levies. Also, electricity prices in Cyprus and Lithuania fell by 7% and 6%, respectively.

Expressed in euros, the lowest electricity price was in Hungary, 10 euros per 100 kilowatthour, and in Bulgaria, €10.2 per 100 kWh, and Malta ,€12.8, while in Croatia it stood at €12.9 (as against 13.01 euros per kWh in H1 2020).

The highest price was in Germany, 32.9 euros per kWh, and in Denmark (29 euros).

Natural gas cheaper in H1 2021

In 20 member states, household natural gas prices in the first half of 2021 fell compared to the corresponding period in 2020.

The biggest drop was in Lithuania, where gas prices fell by 23%, and in Slovakia and Poland, the decreases were 10% and 9%, respectively.

In Croatia, the average household gas price in H1 2021 went down by three percent.

On the other hand, in Denmark it rose by 19% and in Germany and Luxembourg by 8% and 6%, respectively.

Expressed in euros, average household gas prices in the first half of 2021 were lowest in Lithuania (€2.8 per 100 kWh), Latvia (€3.0) and Hungary (€3.1) and highest in the Netherlands (€9.6), Denmark (€9.0) and Portugal (€7.6).

Taxes and levies

Concerning taxes and levies, which accounted for 39% of the electricity bills charged to households in the EU in the first half of 2021, their share in electricity bills was highest in Denmark, 63%, and in Germany and Portugal , 51% and 46%.

In Croatia, taxes and levies in electricity bills for households amounted to 22% in the first half of 2021. The same was with Greece. In Malta, they make up a mere 1% of electricity bills, and Ireland does not collect such taxes and levies.