In the euro zone the annual inflation rate dropped to 1.2%, compared with 1.3% in March and 1.9% in April last year, the European statistics office said.

Prices in the EU went up 1.4%, less than the 2.0% in April last year and the 1.5% in March.

Cyprus (-0.3%) and Ireland (-0.1%) both had negative inflation, while Portugal had the third lowest rate of 0.3%.