Luxembourg, 22/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - The annual inflation rate of the euro-zone fell from 2.9% in November to 2.6% in December 2000, reports Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities. In December 1999, inflation was 1.7%. The annual inflation rate in Europe of Fifteen (EU15) fell from 2.6% in November to 2.3% in December (as opposed to 1.7% in December 1999). The highest rates were recorded in Ireland (4.6%), Luxembourg (4.3%) and Spain (4%). Lowest inflation was in the United Kingdom (0.9%), Sweden (1.3%) and France (1.7%). Compared to November 2000, annual inflation fell in thirteen Member States, increased in one State and remained stable in another. Compared to December 1999, the biggest relative rises were in Portugal (from 1.7% to 3.8%), Luxembourg (from 2.3% to 4.3%) and Germany (from 1.4% to 2.3%). The only relative falls were in Denmark (from 3.1% to 2.3%) and the United Kingdom (from 1.2% to 0.9%). By way of comparison, Eurostat recalls that annual inflation fell from 1.9% to 1.5% in Switzerland and remained unchanged at 3.4% in the USA.