Harmonized index of consumer prices, 15 September 2003

HICP for Norway rose by 0.6 per cent from August to September mainly due to an increase in tariffs on electricity and a price growth of clothing and footwear. The year-to-year change was 1.9 per cent in September, down from 2.0 per cent in August. See the Consumer Price Index for more details.

The numbers for EEA, Euro-zone and the EU are provisional from June 2002 to August 2003 because of an error that has occurred in the consumer price index in the Netherlands.

Year-to-year change in the EEA

From August 2002 to August 2003 the consumer prices in the EEA went up 2.0 per cent. Ireland had the highest price growth in August by 3.9 per cent. Followed by Greece and Spain with price growths of 3.3 and 3.1 respectively. The lowest consumer price growth in August was registered in Austria with 0.9 per cent.

From August last year to August this year household payments for education showed the largest growth rate in the EEA with a price increase of 5.1 per cent. Except for Sweden, an increase was registered in all the countries in the EEA, and Denmark had the highest price growth of 23.6 per cent. The prices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco as a total went up 4.6 per cent in the EEA.

During the last 12 months the prices of communications have declined. The decrease was mainly caused by a price reduction of telephone equipment and - services. In the same period of time the prices of culture and recreation and clothing and footwear declined slightly.

In advance, Eurostat estimated the year-to-year change in August in the Euro-zone to 2.1 per cent, which turned out to be the actual price growth. Expected growth in the consumer prices in the Euro-zone in September is 2.1 per cent. The HICP for the European Union increased by 2.0 per cent in August.