Russia remained Belgium's largest petroleum supplier in 2022

Russia remained Belgium's largest single petroleum supplier in 2022, despite the EU ban imposed in December. About one-fifth of the petroleum imported into Belgium last year came from Russia, according to industry lobby group Energia.

The EU imposed an embargo on Russian petroleum on 6 December 2022 in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Energia's figures show that Russia was an important supplier of petroleum to Belgium until that date.

22 per cent of the oil imported into Belgium in 2022 came from Russia, amounting to more than 6 million tonnes. In 2021, Russia's market share was higher, at 29 per cent.

Another 28 per cent of imported oil came from Europe, down from 42 per cent in 2021. This decline was offset last year by rising imports from the Middle East and Africa.

^{The Total erpen oil refinery at the Port of Antwerp © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}