According to Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, in December 2012 industrial producer prices decreased by 0.2 percent both in the euro area and in the European Union member states (EU-27) month on month. In November last year, prices had also decreased by 0.2 percent compared to the previous month in both zones. In December 2012, industrial producer prices gained 2.1 percent in the euro area and 1.9 percent in the EU-27 compared to December 2011.
In 2012, the average industrial producer price index increased by 2.6 percent in the euro area and by 2.7 percent in the EU-27.
In December 2012 compared with the previous month, prices in overall industry excluding the energy sector remained stable in both zones, while prices in the energy sector fell by 0.8 percent in the euro area and by 0.1 percent in the EU-27. In December last year, in both zones prices of capital goods and the prices of intermediate goods remained stable, while prices of durable consumer goods decreased by 0.1 percent in both zones and prices of non-durable consumer goods increased by 0.1 percent in both zones.
Among the member states for which data are available, only month-on-month increases were recorded in Belgium and Sweden (both with +1.2 percent), while the largest decreases were recorded in Bulgaria (-1.0 percent), Denmark (-0.8 percent), Cyprus (-0.7 percent) and ,n Austria (-0.6 percent).
In December 2012 as compared to December 2011, prices in overall industry excluding the energy sector increased by 1.6 percent in both the euro area and the EU-27. Prices in the energy sector rose by 3.7 percent and 2.6 percent respectively. Intermediate goods rose by 1.6 percent in the euro area and by 1.4 percent in the EU-27. Durable consumer goods gained one percent in both zones. Capital goods increased by 0.9 percent in both zones, while non-durable consumer goods increased by 2.3 percent in the euro zone and by 2.6 percent EU-27.
Among member states for which data are available, the largest year-on-year increases in the overall index were observed in Belgium (+6.4 percent), Bulgaria (+5.4 percent ) and in Denmark (+4.9 percent), and the smallest in Austria (+0.1 percent), Sweden (+0.4 percent) and in Poland (+0.6 percent).