Hungary and Romania, EU countries with the highest annual inflation rate in January

The annual inflation rate in the euro area stood at 1.4 percent in January, increasing by 1.3 percent compared to the previous month, whereas in the European Union it stood at 1.7 percent, also increasing compared to the previous month when it stood at 1.6 percent. The EU member states which registered the highest annual inflation rates were Hungary and Romania, EU's office for statistics Eurostat showed on Friday.

Compared to the situation in December, the annual inflation rate dropped in January in five member states, it remained stable in other five states and increased in 18 EU member states.

The highest annual inflation rates in the EU were registered last month in Hungary (4.7 percent), Romania (3.9 percent), the Czech Republic and Poland (both 3.8 percent), whereas the lowest rates were recorded in Italy (0.4 percent), Cyprus (0.7 percent), Denmark and Portugal (both 0.8 percent).

In Romania, the figure published by Eurostat is identical with the one published last week by the National Institute of Statistics (INS), according to which the annual inflation rate decreased to 3.6 percent in January from 4 percent in December, taking into account that the foodstuff increased by 4.75 percent, non-food by 2.68 percent and the price of services recorded an increase of 4.01 percent.