According to first estimates from Eurostat, in August 2014, compared with July 2014, seasonally adjusted production in the construction sector grew by 1.5% in the euro area (EA18) and by 0.5% in the EU28. In July 2014, production in construction grew by 0.3% and 0.4%, respectively. In August 2014, compared with August 2013, production in construction fell by 0.3% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU28.
Monthly comparison
The increase of 1.5% in production in construction in the euro area in August 2014, compared with July 2014, was attributed to building construction rising by 1.4% and civil engineering by 2.1%. In the EU28, the increase of 0.5% was due to building construction rising by 0.6% and civil engineering by 0.1%. The highest increases in production in construction were seen in Spain (+2.7%), Romania (+2.5%) and France (+2.4%), and the largest decreases in the UK (-3.2%), Germany (-2.0%), Poland and Slovenia (both -1.8%).
Annual comparison
The 0.3% decrease in production in construction in the euro area in August 2014, compared with August 2013, was due to civil engineering falling by 5.2%, while building construction rose by 0.9%. In the EU28, the decrease of 0.8% is due to civil engineering falling by 5.4%, while building construction rose by 0.4%. The largest decreases in production in construction were registered in Romania (-15.6%) and Portugal (-6.6%), and the highest increases in Slovenia (+27.6%), Spain (+22.0%) and Sweden (+9.4%).
Adapted from press release by Rosalie Starling