Luxembourg, 17/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - The data from the EU statistical office, Eurostat, on inflation last April, indicated a fall in the rate of inflation reached last March. In the EU as a whole, the annual rate fell from 1.9% to 1.7%; in the Euro zone, it fell from 2.1% to 1.9%. As a result, the European Commission forecasts, according to which it should expect a fall after the "peaks" reached in the first month of the year, seem to be confirmed. The Commission maintains its forecast according to which, for the whole year, the rate will be lower the 2%.
Nevertheless, the developments are not uniform in the Member states and Commissioner Solbes sent a warning to Ireland, whose annual rate in April was 5%. The risks of overheating are confirming themselves, and they must be countered with a serious budgetary policy. Ireland apart, the highest rates are seen in Luxembourg (3.2%) and Spain (3%); the lowest, the United Kingdom (0.6%), Sweden (1%) and in France (1.4%).