The rate of inflation fell to 1.8% in April, down from 2% in March, the national statistics officeCBS said on Thursday.

Food, gas and electricity prices rose less sharply. Food prices were up 3% year on year, while energy prices rose 11.4% compared with 2008, the CBS said.
Inflation in the Netherlands is still rising more strongly than in the rest of the EU, where the average increase in consumer prices in April was 0.6%. The CBS said this is because oil price developments take longer to work through.