The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) is a statistical indicator whose objective is to provide a common average of the inflation that allows conducting international comparisons, thus examining the compliance with this field, for the entrance to the European Monetary Union, as required by the Treaty of Maastricht.

The HICP of each country covers the divisions that exceed one per thousand of the total expense of the national shopping basket. It has been necessary to carry out specific adjustments in every State-member in order to achieve the comparability wanted by means of specific inclusions or exclusions of consumer entries.