European Union annual inflation picked up August due to a further growth of energy prices in 26 member states, including Croatia, where inflation was around the EU average, shows a Eurostat report released on Friday.

The annual inflation rate in August was 3.2% in the EU as against 2.5% in July.

In August 2020, consumer prices were 0.4% up from the same month of 2019.

Price growth picked up in August also in the euro area to reach 3%, the highest level since November 2011.

Prices in July 2021 were 2.2% up from the same month of 2020, while in August 2020 they were 0.2% lower than in August 2019.

Energy prices again contributed the most to the annual inflation rate in the euro area in August, 1.44 percentage points, a 15.4% increase compared to the same period of 2020.

Croatia’s inflation similar to rates in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Austria

Consumer prices in August this year grew the most in Estonia, Lithuania and Poland, by 5%.

The inflation rate in Croatia was 3.1%, the strongest growth of consumer prices since the country’s accession to the EU.

The same inflation rate was recorded in the Czech Republic while Ireland recorded an inflation rate of 3%, followed by Austria with 3.2%, and Spain, Cyprus and Slovakia with 3.3%.

In July annual inflation in Croatia was 2.7%, while in August 2020 consumer prices were 0.4% down.

Price growth was the lowest in Malta, 0.4%, followed by Greece and Portugal, with 1.2 and 1.3% respectively.

Annual inflation grew in 26 EU member states, remaining unchanged only in Finland, at 1.2%.