LUXEMBOURG / EuroWire / – The European Union recorded a lower gas import bill in the first quarter of 2026, as the value of both liquefied natural gas and pipeline gas declined. Eurostat said liquefied natural gas imports fell 8.0% in value from the 2025 monthly average. Their volume rose 2.9% during the same period. Imports of natural gas in gaseous state fell 12.7% in value and 4.0% in volume.
The figures show a split between cost and supply trends in EU energy trade. LNG volumes continued to rise, even as their total value dropped. Pipeline gas, listed as natural gas in gaseous state, fell by both measures. Petroleum oil imports stayed broadly stable in the same quarter. Their value rose 0.8%, while volume edged down 0.6%.
The wider energy import data showed the same pressure on values. EU energy product imports fell 16.3% in value in Q1 2026 from Q1 2025. Import quantity decreased by only 0.3%. That gap pointed to lower prices across the energy import basket. Eurostat covers petroleum oils, liquefied natural gas, gaseous natural gas and solid fuels in the dataset.
Gas import values fall
The United States remained the EU’s largest supplier of liquefied natural gas in Q1 2026. It accounted for 57.4% of EU LNG imports by trade value. Russia followed with 17.3%, while Qatar supplied 6.6%. Nigeria accounted for 6.2%. The figures show the United States held a wide lead in LNG trade with the European Union.
Norway led imports of natural gas in gaseous state. It supplied 54.4% of the EU total by value in Q1 2026. Algeria ranked second with 18.5%. Russia supplied 9.8%. Norway has held the top place for gaseous natural gas since the EU reduced Russian pipeline flows after 2022.
United States and Norway lead suppliers
Petroleum oil trade also showed a clear supplier pattern. The United States supplied 17.8% of EU petroleum oil imports in Q1 2026. Norway followed with 16.6%, and Kazakhstan supplied 9.6%. Russia accounted for 0.8% of EU petroleum oil imports in the quarter. EU restrictions on Russian crude and refined oil products remain reflected in that share.
The latest data places the first quarter within a longer shift in EU energy imports. LNG volumes reached 8.7 million tonnes as a monthly average in Q1 2026. Gaseous natural gas volumes stood at 8.3 million tonnes. In 2022, gaseous gas volumes averaged 12.8 million tonnes. The figures show LNG has taken a larger role in EU natural gas trade, while the overall gas import bill declined.