INFLATION IN THE EU COUNTRIES AS COMPARED TO SELECTED STATES IN THE WORLD

Level and convergence of inflation rate in the EU states was examined with the use of three groups of countries. The first group was composed of the 12 richest and most developed countries of the world that do not belong to the EU. Another control group included the 12 poorest countries of the world, and the third one included the so-called 'former' European Union states. The conducted analysis of the period 1980-2006 indicated that the reduction of inflation rate was faster and stronger in rich countries - both as regards EU members and those that remain outside this integration group - than in poor countries. Although a long-term convergence of inflation in the EU countries is the highest, the existing differences show that the main cause of its reduction is the neo-liberal concept of maintaining a constant low rate of price increase as one of the conditions ensuring a stable rate of economic growth.