Eurozone records slowing inflation in June

Annual inflation in the eurozone in June 2026 is estimated at 2.8%, down from 3.2% recorded in May, Eurostat announced in a flash estimate. This refers to inflation measured by the harmonised index of consumer prices, an indicator that allows comparison of price movements among European Union countries.

On a monthly basis, prices in the eurozone fell slightly in June, by 0.1%. This means that, on average, prices were somewhat lower than in May, although they are still higher compared with the same month last year.

Energy still drives the overall rate the most

Energy continues to record the highest annual growth rate among the main components of inflation. In June, its rate stood at 8.7%, after 10.8% in May. Services rose by 3.2%, while food, alcohol and tobacco increased by 1.6%. Non-energy industrial goods remained at 0.9%.

The data show that price pressure is easing in most main categories, but energy and services still remain the most important sources of inflation. These are precisely the categories that citizens most often feel through bills, transport, housing and everyday services.

Croatia above the average

Croatia had an estimated annual inflation rate of 4.2% in June. This is lower than in May, when the rate stood at 4.9%, but still significantly higher than the eurozone average of 2.8%. Compared with June 2025, when inflation in Croatia stood at 4.3%, the rate is almost unchanged. On a monthly basis, prices in Croatia rose by 0.1%.

Among eurozone countries, the highest estimated annual inflation in June was recorded by Lithuania at 5.5%, followed by Bulgaria at 5.3% and Croatia at 4.2%. Lower rates were recorded, for example, in Malta at 1.9%, France and Estonia at 2.0%, and Germany at 2.4%.

The slowdown in inflation in the eurozone is a good signal because it shows that pressure on prices is weakening. However, for citizens this does not mean a return of prices to old levels, but rather slower growth compared with last year. The difference is important because inflation is measured as a change in prices, not as the overall level of prices in shops and on bills.

For Croatia, the key message is that inflation is decreasing compared with May, but remains above the eurozone average. This means that domestic consumers will continue to face stronger price pressure than citizens in some other members of the euro area. More complete data for June should be published on 17 July 2026, and Eurostat states that the current data are a flash estimate.

Croatian inflation remains higher than the eurozone average primarily because domestic price pressures are still more pronounced in services and energy. According to the Croatian National Bank, services still make the largest individual contribution to overall inflation in Croatia, while energy prices, despite slowing, remain at a high level due to earlier increases in petroleum product prices. The European Commission also states that Croatian inflation in 2026 is additionally supported by the pass-through of higher energy costs to the prices of services and food, as well as still-present wage pressures. Therefore, inflation is falling in Croatia, but more slowly than in part of the eurozone.