According to first estimates from Eurostat, in October 2014, seasonally adjusted production in the construction sector grew by 1.3% in the euro area (EA18) and by 0.4% in the EU28, compared with September 2014. In September 2014, production in construction fell by 1.0% and 0.3% respectively. In October 2014, compared with October 2013, production in construction grew by 1.4% in the euro area and by 1.5% in the EU28.
The 1.3% increase in production in construction in the euro area in October 2014, compared with September 2014, was attributed to a 1.4 % rise in building construction and 0.3% rise in civil engineering. In the EU28, the 0.4% increase was due to a 0.4% rise in building construction and 0.2% rise in civil engineering. The highest increases in production in construction were observed in Hungary (+4.0%), Italy (+3.2%) and the Netherlands (+2.2%), and the largest decreases were seen in Romania (-6.1%) and the United Kingdom (-2.2%).
The 1.4% rise in production in construction in the euro area in October 2014, compared with October 2013, was attributed to building construction rising by 1.8%, while civil engineering fell by 0.4%. In the EU28, the 1.5% increase was due to building construction rising by 2.3%, while civil engineering fell by 1.5%. The highest increases in production in construction were registered in Hungary (+15.8%), Spain (+13.9%) and Sweden (+10.5%), and the largest decreases in Romania (-11.3%), Portugal (-5.7%), Italy (-4.3%) and Slovakia (-4.2%).
Adapted from press release by Rosalie Starling