Bulgaria Records the Highest Annual Growth of Industrial Producer Prices in the EU

In August 2025, Bulgaria registered the highest annual increase in the Industrial Producer Price Index (PPI) among EU member states — +9.1%, according to Eurostat.

Dynamics in Southeast European EU Members

• Bulgaria: +9.1% y/y, -0.5% m/m
• Romania: +3.1% y/y, -1.0% m/m (largest monthly drop in the region)
• Croatia: +2.1% y/y, +0.3% m/m
• Slovenia: +1.5% y/y, +0.5% m/m
• Greece: +0.2% y/y, -0.1% m/m

For comparison, the EU average in August stood at -0.4% both year-on-year and month-on-month.

Bulgaria’s performance contrasts with the overall EU trend, where industrial prices remain subdued or negative. Romania shows mixed results: annual growth but a sharp monthly decline. Croatia and Slovenia maintain modest positive momentum, while Greece remains close to stagnation.

Comment by the Institute of Danube Research:

Eurostat’s data highlights that Southeast European countries are entering a new phase of industrial fluctuations. Bulgaria stands out as the growth driver, while Romania signals short-term contraction. For Ukraine, these dynamics are crucial, as industrial indexes in neighboring states directly affect cross-border trade and production cooperation.

In the context of Ukraine’s future integration into the EU single market, monitoring such trends is essential, since Southeast Europe represents the closest industrial and logistical partner, forming an economic “corridor” from the Balkans to the Black Sea.