Brussels, 17/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - The annual increase in prices was negative in 20 member states in February, according to data published by the statistical office of the EU (Eurostat) on Tuesday 17 March, which also confirmed inflation of -0.3% and -0.2% in the eurozone and the EU respectively.
In February, inflation was negative in the following countries: Greece (-1.9%), Bulgaria (-1.7%), Lithuania (-1.5%), Poland (-1.3%), Spain (-1.2%), Hungary (-1.0%), Cyprus (-0.8%), Slovakia (-0.6%), the Netherlands and Slovenia (-0.5% each), Belgium, Ireland and Croatia (-0.4% each), France and Luxembourg (-0.3% each), Estonia (-0.2%) and the Czech Republic, Germany, Portugal and Finland (-0.1% each). It was zero in Denmark and Latvia. It was highest in Sweden (0.7%).
The largest upward impacts to inflation came from restaurants & cafes (+0.12%), rents (+0.11%) and tobacco (+0.07%), whilst fuels for transport (-0.64%), heating oil (-0.19%) and telecommunications (-0.06%) had the biggest downward impacts. (Mathieu Bion)