EU flags fly in front of European Central Bank headquarters in Frankfurt.
Frankfurt: Inflation in the eurozone will pick up in future but remain driven by volatile food and energy prices, a quarterly survey of forecasters by the European Central Bank suggested.
In 2017, the economists predict an average inflation rate of 1.6 percent -- up from a previous forecast of 1.4 percent -- in the 19-nation single currency area, followed by 1.5 percent in 2018 and 1.7 percent in 2019.
Further out, price growth should reach 1.8 percent by 2021, around the ECB's target of close to, but below 2.0 percent per year -- believed to be the most favourable level for growth.
The analysts' expectations vary only slightly from the central bank's internal estimates of 1.7 percent in 2017, 1.6 percent in 2018 and 1.7 percent in 2019.
Policymakers will have new staff inflation forecasts available at their next monetary policy meeting in June.
Tougher voices on the ECB's governing council are already pushing for an end to the Frankfurt institution's €60bn ($65bn) per month bond-buying programme and a rise in historic low interest rates.
The central bank's interventions are designed to pump money through the financial system and encourage lending to businesses and households, powering the real economy towards growth and stimulating inflation.
The survey on Friday suggested that core inflation will reach 1.1 percent this year, followed by 1.3 percent next year and 1.5 percent in 2019 -- still well short of the ECB's goal.
