Bruegel
Brussels think tank whose EUR 35bn gas refill estimate is shaping EU storage policy debate.
Last refreshed: 13 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Can Europe actually build the buyer coalition Bruegel proposes, and will Japan and South Korea join?
Timeline for Bruegel
Mentioned in: Commission cuts storage target to 80%
European Energy MarketsMentioned in: Qatar force majeure hits EU buyers
European Energy MarketsMentioned in: JPMorgan warns on chemicals margin squeeze
European Energy MarketsPublished EUR 35bn refill cost estimate and buyer coalition recommendation
European Energy Markets: Bruegel puts refill bill at EUR 35bn- How much will it cost Europe to refill gas storage in 2026?
- Bruegel estimated the cost at EUR 35 billion at EUR 60/MWh, some 55% above 2025 costs. Europe needs approximately 180 more LNG cargoes than last summer to reach the revised 80% filling target by November.Source: Bruegel
- What is Bruegel and who funds it?
- Bruegel is a Brussels-based think tank founded in 2005, focused on EU economic policy. It is funded by EU member states, Major corporations, and international organisations, and its research regularly informs European Commission decisions.
- What is Bruegel's joint buyer coalition proposal for LNG?
- Bruegel proposed that the EU form a coordinated buyer Coalition with Japan and South Korea to improve LNG procurement leverage and reduce per-cargo costs for the roughly 180 additional cargoes Europe needs in summer 2026.Source: Bruegel
- What happens to European energy bills if gas prices double?
- Bruegel calculated that a doubling of gas prices from pre-crisis levels would add EUR 100 billion to the EU's annual energy import bill, on top of the EUR 32 billion gas import bill already paid by the power sector in 2025.Source: Bruegel
Background
Bruegel published a pivotal cost estimate in April 2026, putting the price of refilling EU gas storage to the revised 80% target at EUR 35 billion at EUR 60/MWh, some 55% above 2025 refill costs. The think tank calculated that Europe needs roughly 180 additional LNG cargoes compared to last summer, and that a full gas price doubling from pre-crisis levels would add EUR 100 billion to the EU's annual energy import bill. Bruegel also proposed an untested buyer Coalition with Japan and South Korea to improve Europe's LNG procurement leverage.
Bruegel is a Brussels-based economic research institution founded in 2005 with a REMIT covering EU macroeconomic policy, trade, and energy economics. It is funded by EU member states, Major corporations, and international organisations, and publishes research that frequently informs European Commission policy formulation. Its energy team has been particularly prominent since the 2022 gas crisis, when its modelling of supply disruption scenarios shaped the EU emergency energy response.
Bruegel's analysis occupies an influential position in European energy policy debates precisely because it provides quantified costs that policymakers and media use to frame choices. Its EUR 35 billion refill estimate has circulated widely in Commission discussions about the revised storage targets. The joint-buyer Coalition proposal is the most novel recommendation, attempting to replicate the EU's joint gas purchasing mechanism at a geopolitical scale by including non-EU LNG importers.
