Construction output up 0.3% in euro area

In April 2015 seasonally-adjusted production in the construction sector rose by 0.3 per cent in the euro area (EA19) and fell by 0.3 per cent in the EU28 compared to the previous month, according to first estimates by Eurostat. In March 2015 production output grew by 0.6 and 1.4 per cent, respectively.

On an annual comparative basis, April 2015 production in construction remained stable in the euro area and grew by 1.3 per cent in the EU28.

Monthly comparison by construction and by member state
The increase of 0.3 per cent in production output in the euro area in April 2015 compared with March 2015 is attributed to a 0.5 per cent rise in building construction, while civil engineering fell by 1.8 per cent.

In the EU28, the decline of 0.3 per cent is due to a fall in building construction and civil engineering of 0.1 and two per cent, respectively.

Among the member states for which data are available, increases in construction were observed in Slovakia (+2.5 per cent), Spain (1.5 per cent), Germany (+1.3 per cent), Poland (+1.3 per cent) and Sweden (+1.2 per cent). The steepest declines were recorded in Romania (-3.3 per cent), the UK (-2.9 per cent) and Portugal (-2.5 per cent).

Annual comparison by construction and by member state
Production in construction in the euro area in April 2015 compared with April 2014, remained stable due to building construction rising by 0.8 per cent while civil engineering fell by 3.2 per cent.

In the EU28, the increase of 1.3 per cent was on the back of a 16 per cent rise in building construction and 0.3 per cent increase in civil engineering.

Slovakia registered the highest increase (+14.1 per cent), followed by Romania (+10.8 per cent), Sweden (10.8 per cent), Hungary (10.7 per cent and the Czech Republic (10.3 per cent). The biggest drops were seen in Slovenia (-7.5 per cent), France (-6.2 per cent) and Portugal (-4.4 per cent).