Annual inflation up to 3.8% in the euro area

The euro area annual inflation rate was 3.8% in September 2026, up from 3.2% in August. A year earlier, the rate was 2.2%. European Union annual inflation was 3.8% in September 2026, up from 3.2% in August. A year earlier, the rate was 2.6%. These figures are published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

The lowest annual rates were registered in Sweden (1.0%), Hungary and Denmark (both 2.1%). The highest annual rates were recorded in Romania (6.5%), Lithuania (6.1%) and Bulgaria (5.6%). Compared with August 2026, annual inflation fell in one Member State, remained stable in three and rose in twenty-three.

In September 2026, energy (+1.71 percentage points, pp), services (+1.52 percentage points, pp), non-energy industrial goods (+0.29 percentage points, pp) and food, alcohol & tobacco (+0.25 percentage points, pp) contributed positively to the annual euro area inflation rate.

Inflation rates (%) measured by the HICP

Euro area inflation rate (%), selected aggregates

Contributions to the euro area annual inflation rate (pp),

A flash estimate of euro area inflation is issued at the end of each reference month. The euro area flash estimate for September 2026, published on 2 October 2026, was 3.8%.

The next flash estimate of euro area inflation with data for October 2026 is scheduled for 4 November 2026.

Annual inflation is the price change of consumer goods and services between the current month and the same month of the previous year. Monthly inflation is the price change between the current month and the previous month.

A contribution shows how much of the annual inflation rate comes from a particular component of the HICP. The contributions are calculated according to a method which ensures their additivity (allowing for rounding).