The euro zone inflation rate rose to 2.2 per cent in November from 2 per cent in October, the European Union statistics office confirmed on Wednesday, mainly pushed up by higher food and tobacco prices.
Ireland's inflation rate has slowed in recent months but it is still the second highest in the euro zone at 2.9 per cent behind Spain which has a rate of 3.3 per cent. Italy has the third highest rate at 2.8 per cent.
Eurostat said inflation in the 12-nation bloc rose 0.1 per cent in November from October. Both the monthly and annual rises were in line with economists' forecasts.
The core rate of inflation, referred to by the European Central Bank which aims for inflation around 2 per cent, was steady at an annual rate of 2.0 percent for the third month in a row.
The inflation data were unrevised from Eurostat's initial estimate from November 28th.
The annual inflation rate was also 2.2 per cent in September, but then eased to 2.0 per cent in October. In November 2002 the inflation rate was 2.3 per cent.
Eurostat also said industrial production in the euro zone rose in October by 1.1 per cent from September and by 0.9 per cent on an annual basis.
While higher tobacco prices pushed up prices in November, energy prices had a slight downward impact along with a drop in the cost of package holidays, Eurostat said.
The lowest rates were seen in Finland, with 1.2 per cent and Germany and Austria with 1.3 per cent each.