Economic growth in countries that use the euro slowed considerably in the second quarter, adding to pressure on the European Central Bank to intercede to prevent a possible recession.

The economies in the eurozone countries grew by 0.2 percent over the preceding quarter, half the 0.4 percent growth rate posted in the first three months of the year, according to Eurostat, the European statistical agency. On an annual basis, the economy rose 1.1 percent from the same quarter a year ago.

“This highlights that the slowdown in Europe is substantial,” said Ángel Talavera, an economist at Oxford Economics, a market research firm, who described the numbers as “weak” though “expected.”

On another worrisome front, inflation remained tepid in July at 1.1 percent, down from 1.3 percent in June , Eurostat reported. That number is well below the central bank’s target of close to 2 percent.