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Euro area annual inflation was 3.0% in September 2011, up from 2.5% in August. A year earlier the rate was 1.9%. Monthly inflation was 0.8% in September 2011. EU annual inflation was 3.3% in September 2011, up from 2.9% in August. A year earlier the rate was 2.3%. Monthly inflation was 0.6% in September 2011.

In August 2011 compared with July 2011, seasonally adjusted industrial production rose by 1.2% in the euro area (EA17) and by 0.9% in the EU27. In July production grew by 1.1% and 0.9% respectively. In August 2011 compared with August 2010, industrial production increased by 5.3% in the euro area and by 4.3% in the EU27.

In 2010 there were just over 12 million agricultural holdings and an utilised agricultural area (UAA) of 170 million hectares in the EU27. Compared with 2003, the number of holdings decreased by 20% and the utilised agricultural area by 2%, showing a tendency towards larger holdings. The average size of a holding was 14 hectares in the EU27 in 2010, compared with 12 ha per holding in 2003.

In August 2011 the euro area composite interest rates on deposits for both households and non-financial corporations decreased. In the same month, the composite lending rate for euro area non-financial corporation decreased whereas it increased for households.

In August 2011 compared with July 2011, the volume of retail trade fell by 0.3% in the euro area (EA17) and by 0.2% in the EU27. In July retail trade rose by 0.2% and 0.1% respectively. In August 2011 compared with August 2010, the retail sales index decreased by 1.0% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU27.

In August 2011 compared with July 2011, the industrial producer price index fell by 0.1% in the euro area (EA17) and by 0.2% in the EU27. In July prices increased by 0.5% and 0.4% respectively. In August 2011 compared with August 2010, industrial producer prices gained 5.9% in the euro area and 6.7% in the EU27.

The economic crisis has made it more difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access banking credit. The proportion of unsuccessful loan applications rose between 2007 and 2010 in 19 of the 20 Member States for which data are available. The largest increases in unsuccessful loan applications were observed in Bulgaria (from 3% in 2007 to 36% in 2010), Ireland (from 1% to 27%) and Latvia (from 4% to 26%). Unsuccessful applications fell only in Sweden (from 9% to 6%).

The euro area (EA17) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 10.0% in August 2011, unchanged compared with July. It was 10.2% in August 2010. The EU27 unemployment rate was 9.5% in August 2011, unchanged compared with July. It was 9.6% in August 2010.

After increasing steadily between 2003 and 2008, EU27 exports of goods to Brazil dropped to 21.6 billion euro in 2009, then recovered to reach a peak of 31.3 bn in 2010. After growing between 2002 and 2008, imports rose from 25.7 bn in 2009 to 32.4 bn in 2010, but remained below the level of 35.9 bn recorded in 2008. After peaking at 11.3 bn in 2007, the EU27 deficit in trade in goods with Brazil fell steadily to 1.1 bn in 2010.

Between 2000 and 2010, EU27 trade in goods with the 6 Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) grew significantly, despite a distinct decline in 2009. From 2000 to 2008, exports increased from 8.8 billion euro to a peak of 37.1 bn. After falling to 23.2 bn in 2009, they partially recovered in 2010 to reach 29.5 bn. Imports followed the same pattern as exports. They grew from 7.8 bn in 2000 to 31.6 bn in 2008, then dropped to 19.0 bn in 2009, before increasing to 25.2 bn in 2010. As a result, the trade surplus of the EU27 with the Eastern Partnership grew from 1.0 bn in 2000 to 4.4 bn in 2010.