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BLS has eliminated the International 

Labor Comparisons (ILC) program. This 

is the last BLS release of international 

indexes of consumer prices.

The BLS is aware of other organizations 

that have obtained the methodology 

and intend to produce ILC indicators 

similar to those done previously by BLS. 

Please see the announcement at 

www.bls.gov/ilc. 

. 

Table of Contents

International Indexes of Consumer Prices 

18 countries and areas, 1999-2013

International Labor Comparisons August 1, 2013

This report consists of monthly

and annual figures on Consumer

Price Indexes (CPI) and Harmonized 

Indexes of Consumer Prices (HICP).

Data for each country or area are 

presented as indexes and average 

annual growth rates from 1999 to 

2013. For more information, see

the section on Technical Notes.

In June 2013, HICP monthly percent 

change from the previous year

increased in all 16 countries 

compared. Netherlands experienced 

the highest growth, followed by the 

United Kingdom. Japan and 

Switzerland had the lowest growth.

For more details, see page 4.

The CPI and HICP both measure 

the average change in prices over 

time paid by consumers for a 

market basket of customary goods 

and services. However, the CPI 

measures have not been adjusted 

for comparability; in contrast, the 

HICP are an internationally 

comparable measure of consumer 

price inflation. For more 

information, see the section on 

Technical Notes.

For 2012, HICP increased in 14 of 

the 16 countries compared. Italy had 

the highest inflation followed by the 

United Kingdom. Japan had no 

change. Switzerland had the lowest 

HICP. 

For more details, see page 8.

0 2 4 

Switzerland

Japan

Sweden

Denmark

France

Italy

Belgium

Euro area

United States 

European Union

Norway

Germany

Spain

Austria

United Kingdom

Netherlands

HICP, June. 2013 yoy percent change

-1 0 1 2 3 4 

Switzerland

Japan

Norway

Sweden

Germany 

France

United States

Denmark

Spain

Euro Area

Austria

Belgium

European Union

Netherlands

United Kingdom

Italy

HICP, 2012 percent change

Highlights........................1

Monthly CPI/HICP Charts.....2

Monthly CPI/HICP Tables.....4

Annual CPI/HICP Charts......5

Annual CPI Tables..............7

Annual HICP Tables.............8

Technical Notes..................9

Related Info

Data Tables, 1950-2013: 

www.bls.gov/ilc/intl_consumer_prices.xls

HTML: 

www.bls.gov/ilc/intl_consumer_prices.htm

PDF:

www.bls.gov/ilc/intl_consumer_prices.pdf
Consumer Price Indexes (CPI) and Harmonized Indexes of Consumer Prices (HICP) 

Monthly percent change from the previous year, 06/2012-06/2013

CPI HICP

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

Japan

-2 

0 

2 

4 

6 

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

Italy

-2

0 

2 

4 

6 

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

Netherlands

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

France

-2 

0 

2 

4 

6 

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

Canada1

-2 

0 

2 

4 

6 

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

United States

-2

0 

2 

4 

6 

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

Euro Area2

-2

0 

2 

4 

6 

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

Germany

-2 

0 

2 

4 

6 

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

European Union2

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

Austria

-2

0 

2 

4 

6 

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

Belgium

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

Denmark

1. HICP data are not available for Canada. 2. CPI data are not included for the Euro Area and European 

Union. 

----------------2012---------------- --------------2013------------- ---------------2012---------------- -------------2013------------- ---------------2012---------------- -------------2013-------------

---------------2012---------------- -------------2013-------------- ---------------2012---------------- --------------2013------------- --------------2012----------------- --------------2013------------

---------------2012---------------- -------------2013------------- --------------2012---------------- -------------2013------------- ---------------2012---------------- -------------2013-------------

 ---------------2012---------------- --------------2013------------ --------------2012---------------- -------------2013------------- ---------------2012---------------- -------------2013-------------

www.bls.gov/ilc | 2 
Consumer Price Indexes (CPI) and Harmonized Indexes of Consumer Prices (HICP) 

Monthly percent change from the previous year, 06/2012-06/2013 cont.

 

CPI HICP

-2

0 

2 

4 

6 

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

Sweden

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

Spain

-2 

0 

2 

4 

6 

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

Norway

-2

0 

2 

4 

6 

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

United Kingdom

-2 

0 

2 

4 

6 

06 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 06

Switzerland

---------------2012---------------- -------------2013------------- --------------2012----------------- -------------2013------------- --------------2012----------------- -------------2013-------------

---------------2012---------------- -------------2013------------- ---------------2012---------------- -------------2013-------------

www.bls.gov/ilc | 3 
Jun 

12

Jul 

12

Aug 

12

Sep 

12

Oct 

12

Nov 

12

Dec 

12

Jan 

13

Feb 

13

Mar 

13

Apr 

13

May 

13

Jun 

13

United States 1.7 1.5 1.8 2.1 2.3 1.8 1.8 1.6 1.9 1.3 0.8 1.2 1.7

Austria 2.2 2.1 2.3 2.8 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.8 2.6 2.4 2.1 2.4 2.2

Belgium 2.2 2.0 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.2 2.1 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.1 1.1 1.5

Denmark 2.2 2.1 2.6 2.5 2.3 2.2 1.9 1.0 1.0 0.7 0.4 0.6 0.6

Euro area1 2.4 2.4 2.6 2.6 2.5 2.2 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.7 1.2 1.4 1.6

European Union2 2.5 2.5 2.7 2.7 2.6 2.4 2.3 2.1 2.0 1.9 1.4 1.6 1.7

France 2.3 2.2 2.4 2.2 2.1 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.2 1.1 0.8 0.9 1.0

Germany 2.0 1.9 2.2 2.1 2.1 1.9 2.0 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.1 1.6 1.9

Italy 3.6 3.6 3.3 3.4 2.8 2.6 2.6 2.4 2.0 1.8 1.3 1.3 1.4

Japan -0.1 -0.4 -0.5 -0.3 -0.4 -0.1 -0.1 -0.3 -0.7 -1.0 -0.7 -0.3 0.3

Netherlands 2.5 2.6 2.5 2.5 3.3 3.2 3.4 3.2 3.2 3.2 2.8 3.1 3.2

Norway 0.0 -0.2 0.0 0.1 0.8 0.9 1.1 1.2 0.6 1.1 1.8 1.8 1.9

Spain 1.8 2.2 2.7 3.5 3.5 3.0 3.0 2.8 2.9 2.6 1.5 1.8 2.2

Sweden 0.9 0.7 0.9 1.0 1.2 0.8 1.0 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.3 0.5

Switzerland -1.2 -0.8 -0.5 -0.3 -0.1 -0.1 -0.3 -0.1 0.1 -0.3 -0.4 -0.2 0.2

United Kingdom 2.4 2.6 2.5 2.2 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.7 2.8 2.8 2.4 2.7 2.9

Table 1. Consumer Price Indexes (CPI), 15 countries, 06/2012-06/2013 

Monthly percent change from the previous year

Jun 

12

Jul 

12

Aug 

12

Sep 

12

Oct 

12

Nov 

12

Dec 

12

Jan 

13

Feb 

13

Mar 

13

Apr 

13

May 

13

Jun 

13

United States 1.7 1.4 1.7 2.0 2.2 1.8 1.7 1.6 2.0 1.5 1.1 1.4 1.8

Austria 2.3 2.1 2.3 2.6 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.6 2.5 2.3 2.0 2.3 2.2

Belgium 2.3 2.3 2.9 2.8 2.8 2.3 2.2 1.5 1.2 1.1 1.0 1.2 1.6

Canada 1.5 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.2 0.8 0.8 0.5 1.2 1.0 0.4 0.7 1.2

Denmark 2.2 2.3 2.6 2.5 2.3 2.3 2.0 1.3 1.2 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.9

France 1.9 1.9 2.1 1.9 1.9 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.0 1.0 0.7 0.8 0.9

Germany 1.7 1.7 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.2 1.8 1.7 1.5 1.4 1.2 1.5 1.8

Italy 3.3 3.1 3.2 3.2 2.6 2.5 2.3 2.2 1.9 1.6 1.1 1.1 1.2

Japan -0.1 -0.4 -0.5 -0.3 -0.4 -0.2 -0.1 -0.3 -0.6 -0.9 -0.7 -0.3 0.2

Netherlands 2.1 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.9 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.6 2.8 2.9

Norway 0.5 0.2 0.5 0.5 1.1 1.1 1.4 1.3 1.0 1.4 1.9 2.0 2.1

Spain 1.9 2.2 2.7 3.4 3.5 2.9 2.9 2.7 2.8 2.4 1.4 1.7 2.1

Sweden 1.0 0.7 0.7 0.4 0.4 -0.1 -0.1 0.0 -0.2 0.0 -0.5 -0.2 -0.1

Switzerland -1.0 -0.7 -0.4 -0.4 -0.2 -0.3 -0.4 -0.3 -0.2 -0.6 -0.7 -0.6 -0.2

United Kingdom 2.8 3.2 2.9 2.6 3.2 3.0 3.1 3.3 3.2 3.3 2.9 3.1 3.3

Table 2. Harmonized Indexes of Consumer Prices (HICP), 16 countries and areas, 06/2012-06/2013

Monthly percent change from the previous year

1. Data for the euro area refer to the Monetary Union Index 

of Consumer Prices (MUICP). For more information, see 

Technical Notes. 

2. Data for the European Union refer to the European Index 

of Consumer Prices (EICP). For more information, see 

Technical Notes. 

www.bls.gov/ilc | 4 
Consumer Price Indexes (CPI) and Harmonized Indexes of Consumer Prices (HICP) 

Annual percentage change, 2000-2012 

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Italy

-2

0 

2 

4 

6 

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

France

-2

0 

2 

4 

6 

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Japan

-2

0 

2 

4 

6 

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Austria

-2 

0 

2 

4 

6 

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

United States

-2 

0 

2 

4 

6 

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Germany

CPI HICP

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Australia1

-2 

0 

2 

4 

6 

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Euro Area2

1. HICP data are not available for Australia and Canada. 2. CPI data are not included for the Euro Area and European 

Union. 

-2 

0 

2 

4 

6 

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Belgium

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Canada1

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

European Union2

-2

0 

2 

4 

6 

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Denmark

www.bls.gov/ilc | 5 
Consumer Price Indexes (CPI) and Harmonized Indexes of Consumer Prices (HICP) 

Annual percentage change, 2000-2012 cont.

-2 

0 

2 

4 

6 

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Netherlands

-2

0 

2 

4 

6 

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Spain

-2 

0 

2 

4 

6 

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Sweden

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Norway

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Switzerland1

-2

0 

2 

4 

6 

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

United Kingdom

CPI HICP

1. HICP data are not available for Switzerland (2000-2005).

www.bls.gov/ilc | 6 
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

United States 166.6 172.2 177.1 179.9 184.0 188.9 195.3 201.6 207.3 215.3 214.5 218.1 224.9 229.6

Australia 197.0 205.7 214.8 221.2 227.2 232.6 238.8 247.3 253.1 264.1 268.8 276.6 285.8 290.8

Austria 147.9 151.4 155.4 158.2 160.3 163.6 167.4 169.9 173.6 179.1 180.0 183.3 189.3 194.0

Belgium 148.3 152.1 155.8 158.4 160.9 164.3 168.8 171.9 175.0 182.9 182.8 186.8 193.4 198.9

Canada 160.5 164.9 169.0 172.8 177.6 180.9 184.9 188.5 192.7 197.2 197.7 201.3 207.2 210.3

Denmark 162.0 166.8 170.7 174.8 178.5 180.5 183.8 187.3 190.5 197.0 199.6 204.2 209.8 214.9

France 155.0 157.7 160.3 163.4 166.8 170.3 173.4 176.2 178.9 183.9 184.1 186.9 190.8 194.6

Germany 140.0 142.0 144.8 146.9 148.5 150.9 153.2 155.7 159.2 163.3 163.9 165.8 169.6 173.0

Italy 226.3 232.1 238.5 244.5 251.0 256.6 261.5 267.1 272.0 281.1 283.3 287.7 295.7 304.6

Japan 121.8 121.0 120.1 119.0 118.7 118.7 118.3 118.7 118.7 120.3 118.7 117.8 117.5 117.5

Netherlands 137.0 140.2 146.1 150.9 154.0 156.0 158.6 160.4 163.0 167.1 169.0 171.2 175.2 179.5

Norway 186.6 192.4 198.2 200.8 205.7 206.6 209.9 214.7 216.3 224.5 229.2 234.9 237.8 239.6

Spain 234.1 242.1 250.8 259.6 267.5 275.6 284.9 294.9 303.1 315.5 314.6 320.2 330.5 338.6

Sweden 195.1 196.9 201.6 206.0 209.9 210.7 211.7 214.5 219.3 226.8 225.7 228.3 235.1 237.2

Switzerland 143.8 146.1 147.5 148.5 149.4 150.6 152.5 154.1 155.2 158.9 158.1 159.2 159.7 158.5

United Kingdom 194.3 200.1 203.6 207.0 213.0 219.4 225.6 232.8 242.7 252.4 251.1 262.7 276.3 285.2

1999–

2012 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

United States 2.5 3.4 2.8 1.6 2.3 2.7 3.4 3.2 2.8 3.8 -0.4 1.6 3.2 2.1

Australia 3.0 4.5 4.4 3.0 2.7 2.3 2.7 3.6 2.3 4.4 1.8 2.9 3.3 1.8

Austria 2.1 2.4 2.7 1.8 1.3 2.1 2.3 1.5 2.2 3.2 0.5 1.9 3.3 2.5

Belgium 2.3 2.5 2.5 1.6 1.6 2.1 2.8 1.8 1.8 4.5 -0.1 2.2 3.5 2.8

Canada 2.1 2.7 2.5 2.2 2.8 1.8 2.2 2.0 2.2 2.3 0.3 1.8 2.9 1.5

Denmark 2.2 2.9 2.4 2.4 2.1 1.2 1.8 1.9 1.7 3.4 1.3 2.3 2.8 2.4

France 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.9 2.1 2.1 1.8 1.6 1.5 2.8 0.1 1.5 2.1 2.0

Germany 1.6 1.4 1.9 1.5 1.0 1.7 1.5 1.6 2.3 2.6 0.4 1.1 2.3 2.0

Italy 2.3 2.5 2.7 2.5 2.7 2.2 1.9 2.1 1.8 3.3 0.8 1.5 2.8 3.0

Japan -0.3 -0.7 -0.8 -0.9 -0.3 0.0 -0.3 0.3 0.0 1.4 -1.4 -0.7 -0.3 0.0

Netherlands 2.1 2.3 4.2 3.3 2.1 1.2 1.7 1.2 1.6 2.5 1.2 1.3 2.3 2.5

Norway 1.9 3.1 3.0 1.3 2.5 0.4 1.6 2.3 0.8 3.8 2.1 2.5 1.2 0.8

Spain 2.9 3.4 3.6 3.5 3.0 3.0 3.4 3.5 2.8 4.1 -0.3 1.8 3.2 2.4

Sweden 1.5 0.9 2.4 2.2 1.9 0.4 0.5 1.4 2.2 3.4 -0.5 1.2 3.0 0.9

Switzerland 0.8 1.6 1.0 0.6 0.6 0.7 1.3 1.0 0.7 2.4 -0.5 0.7 0.3 -0.7

United Kingdom 3.0 3.0 1.8 1.7 2.9 3.0 2.8 3.2 4.3 4.0 -0.5 4.6 5.2 3.2

Table 3. Consumer Price Indexes (CPI), 16 countries, 1999-2012 

Annual indexes: 1982-84 = 100

Table 4. Consumer Price Indexes (CPI), 16 countries, 1999-2012 

Annual percent change

www.bls.gov/ilc | 7 
Table 5. Harmonized Indexes of Consumer Prices (HICP), 16 countries and areas, 1999-2012

Annual indexes: 2005 = 100

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

United States1 85.8 88.7 90.8 91.6 93.7 96.3 100.0 103.2 105.9 110.6 109.7 112.4 116.8 119.4

Austria 89.4 91.2 93.3 94.8 96.1 97.9 100.0 101.7 103.9 107.3 107.7 109.5 113.4 116.3

Belgium 88.3 90.7 92.9 94.3 95.8 97.5 100.0 102.3 104.2 108.9 108.9 111.4 115.3 118.3

Denmark 88.8 91.2 93.3 95.6 97.5 98.3 100.0 101.8 103.5 107.3 108.4 110.8 113.8 116.5

Euro area2 87.9 89.7 91.8 93.9 95.8 97.9 100.0 102.2 104.4 107.8 108.1 109.8 112.8 115.7

European Union3 88.5 90.2 92.2 94.1 96.0 97.9 100.0 102.2 104.6 108.4 109.5 111.8 115.2 118.3

France 88.8 90.5 92.1 93.9 95.9 98.1 100.0 101.9 103.6 106.8 106.9 108.8 111.3 113.8

Germany 91.1 92.4 94.1 95.4 96.4 98.1 100.0 101.8 104.1 107.0 107.2 108.4 111.1 113.5

Italy 86.4 88.6 90.7 93.1 95.7 97.8 100.0 102.2 104.3 108.0 108.8 110.6 113.8 117.5

Japan 103.7 102.8 101.9 100.7 100.4 100.4 100.0 100.3 100.4 102.0 100.5 99.7 99.4 99.4

Netherlands 85.1 87.1 91.5 95.1 97.2 98.5 100.0 101.7 103.3 105.5 106.6 107.6 110.2 113.3

Norway 90.0 92.8 95.3 96.1 97.9 98.5 100.0 102.5 103.2 106.7 109.2 111.8 113.1 113.6

Spain 82.6 85.5 87.9 91.0 93.9 96.7 100.0 103.6 106.5 110.9 110.6 112.9 116.4 119.2

Sweden 90.5 91.7 94.1 95.9 98.2 99.2 100.0 101.5 103.2 106.7 108.7 110.8 112.3 113.4

Switzerland – – – – – – 100.0 101.0 101.8 104.2 103.4 104.1 104.2 103.4

United Kingdom 92.3 93.1 94.2 95.4 96.7 98.0 100.0 102.3 104.7 108.5 110.8 114.5 119.6 123.0

Table 6. Harmonized Indexes of Consumer Prices (HICP), 16 countries and areas, 1999-2012

Annual percent change

1999–

2012 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

United States1 2.6 3.4 2.3 0.9 2.3 2.8 3.9 3.2 2.6 4.4 -0.9 2.5 3.9 2.2

Austria 2.0 2.0 2.3 1.7 1.3 2.0 2.1 1.7 2.2 3.2 0.4 1.7 3.6 2.6

Belgium 2.3 2.7 2.4 1.6 1.5 1.9 2.5 2.3 1.8 4.5 0.0 2.3 3.5 2.6

Denmark 2.1 2.7 2.3 2.5 2.0 0.8 1.7 1.8 1.7 3.7 1.0 2.2 2.7 2.4

Euro area2 2.1 2.1 2.4 2.2 2.1 2.1 2.2 2.2 2.1 3.3 0.3 1.6 2.7 2.5

European Union3 2.3 1.9 2.2 2.1 2.0 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.3 3.7 1.0 2.1 3.1 2.6

France 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.9 2.2 2.3 1.9 1.9 1.6 3.2 0.1 1.7 2.3 2.2

Germany 1.7 1.4 1.8 1.4 1.0 1.8 1.9 1.8 2.3 2.8 0.2 1.1 2.5 2.2

Italy 2.4 2.5 2.4 2.6 2.8 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.1 3.5 0.7 1.7 2.9 3.3

Japan -0.3 -0.9 -0.9 -1.2 -0.3 0.0 -0.4 0.3 0.1 1.6 -1.5 -0.8 -0.3 0.0

Netherlands 2.2 2.3 5.1 3.9 2.2 1.4 1.5 1.7 1.6 2.2 1.0 0.9 2.5 2.8

Norway 1.8 3.1 2.7 0.8 1.9 0.6 1.5 2.5 0.7 3.4 2.3 2.4 1.2 0.4

Spain 2.9 3.5 2.8 3.6 3.1 3.1 3.4 3.6 2.8 4.1 -0.2 2.0 3.1 2.4

Sweden 1.7 1.3 2.7 1.9 2.3 1.0 0.8 1.5 1.7 3.3 1.9 1.9 1.4 0.9

Switzerland – – – – – – – 1.0 0.8 2.4 -0.8 0.7 0.1 -0.8

United Kingdom 2.2 0.9 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.3 2.0 2.3 2.3 3.6 2.1 3.3 4.5 2.8

 1. Urban households prior to Dec. 2001.

2. Data for the Euro area refer to the Monetary Union Index of 

Consumer Prices (MUICP). For more information, see Technical 

Notes. 

3. Data for the European Union refer to the European Index of 

Consumer Prices (EICP). For more information, see Technical 

Notes. 

Dashes indicate data are unavailable.

www.bls.gov/ilc | 8 
Technical Notes

Consumer Price Indexes (CPI)

The Consumer Price Indexes or CPI are a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid 

by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services. This report covers the CPI 

for the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, and 12 European countries. CPI indexes and annual 

percent changes are based upon national consumer price indexes as published by each country. 

They have not been adjusted for comparability. National differences exist, for example, in population coverage, frequency of market basket weight changes, and treatment of homeowner costs. 

Harmonized Indexes of Consumer Prices (HICP)

The Harmonized Indexes of Consumer Prices or HICP are an internationally comparable measure of 

consumer price inflation. This report covers the HICP for 14 countries and 2 areas. HICP indexes and 

percent changes conform, insofar as possible, to the conceptual basis of the European Union's 

Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP). The HICP is the standard price index that EU member 

states must produce for comparisons across countries. It is used by the European Central Bank for 

the conduct of monetary policy in the euro area. The index represents urban and rural households 

in each country and excludes the component for owner-occupied housing costs. For more 

information, see "International comparisons of Harmonized Indexes of Consumer Prices," at 

www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2007/02/ressum.pdf .

Methodology 

In table 3, CPI indexes are calculated by rebasing the official indexes of each country to the official 

U.S. base year of 1982-84. Because of the change in base year, the indexes may differ from the 

official indexes published by national statistical agencies. 

Percent changes are computed using the compound rate method. The figures may differ from official 

percent changes published by national statistical agencies because of rounding. In several countries, 

the national statistical agencies calculate the official percent changes from more precise index 

values than those that they publish.

United States

The data for the United States are an "experimental" Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) series adjusted 

to the concepts of the EU HICP in that they are expanded to cover the entire (non-institutional) population and narrowed to remove owner-occupied housing costs that the HICP excludes from its 

scope. These U.S. data are produced outside of regular BLS production systems and, consequently, 

with less than full production quality. For more information, see "Comparing U.S. and European inflation: the CPI and the HICP," at www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2006/05/art3full.pdf. 

Euro Area

Data for the euro area refer to the Monetary Union Index of Consumer Prices (MUICP), the official 

series published by Eurostat for the EU member countries that have adopted the euro as the 

common currency. The MUICP is the household expenditure-weighted aggregate of the HICPs of the 

euro area. The composition of the euro area has changed over the years. As the euro area expands, 

www.bls.gov/ilc | 9 
Technical Notes cont. 

data for new member countries are linked to this moving coverage series. Thus, the euro area index 

changes its geographical coverage according to the composition of the euro area during the period 

to which the data refer. The MUICP index for 2013 is comprised of the following 17 countries:

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, 

Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. For analytical purposes, Eurostat 

also makes available historical series covering all the current euro area countries. For more 

information see the Eurostat Web site, at

http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/eurostat/home. 

European Union 

Data for the European Union refer to the European Index of Consumer Prices (EICP), the official 

series published by Eurostat for the European Union (EU). The EICP is the household expenditureweighted aggregate of the Harmonized Indexes of Consumer Prices (HICPs) of the EU member countries. The composition of the EU has changed over the years. As EU membership expands, data for

new member countries are linked to this moving coverage series. Thus, the EU index changes its 

geographical coverage according to the composition of the EU during the period to which the data 

refer. The EU index for 2013 is comprised of the following 27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,

Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, 

Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, 

Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. For analytical purposes, Eurostat also makes 

available historical series covering all the current EU countries.

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