Despite the fact that the last rapid estimate published by Eurostat forecast a slight fall in the annualised inflation rate of the Eurozone for February 2006 (2.3%) in comparison with the previous month (2.4%), the calculations of Brussels made on the basis of the new retail price index parameters for 2005 show an increase of the annual inflation rate for the Eurozone, rising from 2.2% in December 2005 to 2.4% in January 2006 (twelve months ago the figure had stood at 1.9%). There is also concern about the rising inflation in the EU-25, which registered 2.2% in January 2006, in comparison with 2.1% in December and 2% in January 2005. At the monthly level the increase is mainly due to rising prices for food products, transport (fuel) and heating (gas and liquid fuels), whereas in the course of the year as a whole the main inflationary impact was that of the rising prices for houses, alcoholic beverages, smoking and education. Poland with 0.9% and Latvia with 7.9% are at the opposite extremes of the special EU classification for the annual inflation rate. For further info: http://epp.eurostat.cec.eu.int/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/PGP_PRD_CAT_PREREL/PGE_CAT_PREREL_YEAR_2006/PGE_CAT_PREREL_YEAR_2006_MONTH_02/2-28022006-FR-AP.PDF
