Brussels - Annual euro area inflation was confirmed at 3.3 per cent in April, with final results Thursday showing that rising food and oil prices were largely to blame.

According to Eurostat estimates, consumer prices in the 15-member common currency zone rose by 0.3 per cent on a monthly basis.

Annual euro area inflation reached its historical peak of 3.6 per cent in March. It was 1.9 per cent a year ago.

In the 27-member European Union, inflation was 3.6 per cent in April, down from 3.8 per cent in March and up 0.4 per cent month-on-month.

The lowest annual rates were observed in the Netherlands (1.7 per cent), Portugal (2.5 per cent) and Germany (2.6 per cent). Latvia (17.4 per cent), Bulgaria (13.4 per cent) and Lithuania (11.9 per cent) posted the highest rates.

A breakdown of the euro area annual rate showed that food prices were up 6.0 per cent, while housing and transport were both up 4.8 per cent.

Fuel for transport, heating oil, dairy products and bread and cereals had the largest upward impacts on the headline rate, Eurostat said.

The European Commission has asked member states to avoid fuelling inflation by preventing so-called "second-round effects" - wage rises that do not reflect improved productivity.

It also wants government to make their markets more efficient and review the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in a bid to bring down food prices.

"For the weakest sector of our society, inflation is the main problem. They are suffering a loss of purchasing power, and must pay more for food and other necessary goods," said the EU's economic and monetary affairs commissioner ahead of a meeting of eurozone finance ministers in Brussels on Monday. (dpa)