European statistics on natural gas and electricity prices

KEY POINTS

Data sources, coverage and transmission

EU countries must compile data on:

• consumption volumes;
• prices and their components and sub-components concerning:
  • energy and supply costs;
  • network costs;
  • taxes;
  • fees;
  • levies and charges.

The data may be collected from one or more of the following sources:

• statistical surveys;
• administrative sources;
• other sources applying statistical estimation methods.

EU countries must take into account in the data collection process the principles of reducing the burden on respondents and of simplifying administration.

Compilation must be done in accordance with the methodology laid down in the regulation’s Annex I (natural gas prices) and Annex II (Electricity prices). These data must be sent to the European Commission (Eurostat) on an annual or a bi-annual basis.

EU countries are not be obliged to transmit data on natural gas prices for household customers if the consumption of natural gas in the household sector accounts for less than 1.5% of national final energy consumption in the household sector.

Quality assessment and reports

Every 3 years, EU countries must submit to Eurostat a standard quality report on the data in accordance with the criteria laid down in Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 — European statistics — and in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/803. Eurostat then assesses the quality of the data provided and uses that assessment and an analysis of the quality reports in order to prepare and publish a report on the quality of European statistics covered by this regulation.

Committee

The Commission (Eurostat) is assisted and advised by the European Statistical System Committee, a committee composed of representatives from EU countries and chaired by the Commission.