Romania first at  inflation in EU in April

Romania was ranked first again in April in terms of EU annual inflation, reporting prices increase twice higher than the Community average prices increase.

Romania experienced again the highest annual inflation in the European Unionin in April as in March, according to data published by the European Union Statistical Office (Eurostat).

The average in the European Union was 3.2 percent, while inflation in our country was of 8.4 percent.

Estonia was ranked second, but at a quite large distance, the figure recorded being 5.4 percent.

Last month Ireland, Czech Republic and Sweden reported the lowest consumer prices rates, below 2 percent.

In comparison to March, annual inflation rose in 16 EU Member States, remained constant in two and decreased in eight, while the data for Britain were not provided in due course.

Eurostat also published the figures for foreign trade development in the 27 Member States of the Union.

In January and February, according to seasonally unadjusted data, Romania ranked sixth in export increase compared to the similar period of the previous year.

The largest exports increases were observed in Bulgaria, Lithuania and Malta, while the largest imports increases were reported by Estonia and, again, Lithuania and Malta. Romania ranked ten in terms of increased imports on a par with Italy, Finland, Austria and Hungary.

In the first two months of 2011, 9 countries reported surplus and 18 countries trade deficit.

Translated by Denisse-Meda Bucura
Ma Student, MTTLC, University of Bucharest