Annual inflation in the European Union was 2.1 percent in July this year, up from 1.9 percent in June, according to a report released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities. In July 2009 the annual inflation rate was registered as 0.2 percent. Meanwhile, monthly inflation was -0.2 percent in July this year.
In July, the lowest annual rates were observed in Ireland with -1.2 percent, in Latvia with -0.7 percent and in Slovakia with one percent, and the highest were seen in Romania with 7.1 percent, in Greece with 5.5 percent and in Hungary with 3.6 percent. Compared with June, annual inflation in July fell in six member states, remained stable in one and rose in nineteen.
The lowest 12-month averages up to July this year were registered in Ireland at -2.4 percent, in Latvia at -1.8 percent and in Portugal at zero percent, and the highest were recorded in Hungary at 5.1 percent, in Romania at 4.8 percent and in Poland at 3.3 percent.