Annual inflation in the euro area rose to 3.8% in September 2026, up from 3.2% in August and 2.2% a year earlier, according to new data from Eurostat.
Across the broader European Union, inflation increased to 3.8%, up from 3.2% in August and 2.6% in the corresponding month a year earlier, the data showed.
The sharpest increases were recorded in energy, which contributed 1.71 percentage points to the euro area’s annual inflation rate. Services contributed 1.52 percentage points, while non-energy industrial goods contributed 0.29 percentage points and food, alcohol and tobacco contributed 0.25 percentage points.
Energy price surge
Energy prices increased by 18.9% on an annual basis in September, compared with a 14.3% increase in August, Eurostat noted. On a monthly basis, energy prices rose by 4.0%.
Food, alcohol and tobacco inflation stood at 1.3%, up from 1.1% in August. Within this category, processed food, alcohol and tobacco prices rose by 0.4%, while unprocessed food prices increased by 4.0%.
Core inflation, excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, increased to 2.5%, from 2.4% in August. Services inflation rose to 3.2%, from 3.0%, while non-energy industrial goods inflation edged down to 1.1% from 1.2%.
Highest inflation rate
Across all EU member states, Romania recorded the highest annual inflation rate for the month, at 6.5%, followed by Lithuania at 6.1% and Bulgaria at 5.6%.
The lowest rates were recorded in Sweden at 1.0%, and Hungary and Denmark at 2.1%.
In terms of the major European economies, annual inflation stood at 5.0% in Spain, 4.2% in Italy, 3.4% in France and 3.3% in Germany.
Eurostat said the September figures incorporate the evolving composition of the euro area following Bulgaria’s entry into the euro area in January of this year.
The next flash estimate of euro area inflation, covering October 2026, is scheduled for 4 November. Read more here.
