Romania had highest inflation in EU in July 2026 despite decrease

19 August 2026 Romania still has the highest inflation in the European Union, at 8.2% in July, even though the rate fell from 9.2% in the previous month, according to data published by Eurostat on Wednesday, August 19. Overall, inflation rose slightly to 3% at the EU level in July, from 2.9% in June. Compared with June, annual inflation fell in 15 member states, remained stable in three and increased in nine. After Romania, the next highest inflation was recorded in Lithuania, at 5.4%, and in Cyprus and Bulgaria, both at 4.4%. At the opposite end, Sweden had the lowest annual inflation, at 0.3%, followed by Czechia, at 1.3%, and Denmark and Hungary, at 1.6% each. In the euro area, the rate rose from 2.8% to 2.9% in July. The largest contribution to inflation in the euro area came from serv