In the euro zone, 3% annual inflation in August compares with 2.2% in July and -0.2% in the same month.

In the EU, the indicator increased to 3.2%, against 2.5% in July and 0.4% in August 2020.

According to the European statistical office, the lowest annual inflation rates were recorded in Malta (0.4%), Greece (1.2%) and Portugal (1.3%) and the highest in Estonia, Lithuania and Poland (5% each).

Compared to July, inflation remained stable in one Member State and increased in the other 26.

In July, the European Central Bank (ECB) informed that its new strategy contemplates a symmetrical inflation target of 2% in the medium term, a more flexible target, admitting temporary and moderate deviations.

The inflation target set by the ECB so far has been a rate close to, but slightly below 2%.