FRANKFURT, June 6 Reuters Euro zone consumers lowered their inflation expectations, a fresh European Central Bank survey showed on Tuesday, a relief for policymakers after an unexpected surge a month earlier, even if underlying price growth is still likely to be stubborn.

The ECB has raised interest rates by a combined 375 basis points over the past year to arrest runaway price growth and it could still take until 2025 for inflation to slow back to its 2 target as rapid wage growth and robust demand for services keep pressure on prices.

Median expectations for inflation over the next 12 months fell to 4.1 in April from 5.0 in March, while for three years ahead, they dropped to 2.5 from 2.9, the ECB said, based on a monthly survey of 14,000 adults in the euro zone39;s biggest countries.

The figures comes as Dutch policymaker Klaas Knot, an outspoken policy hawk, made cautiously optimistic comments on price growth, arguing that the worst of Europe39;s inflation problems are now in the past.

Still, Knot warned that it could still take some time before inflation, at 6.1 in May, is fully under control.

Because inflation was high for a long period, underlying inflationary pressures have built up, Knot said in a speech. It is likely that price pressures in these areas will prove more difficult to bring down.

Still, Knot argued that longer term expectations are still decently anchored and there is growing evidence both in financing conditions and macro indicators, that…