Production in construction down by 0.5% in euro area 

In June 2017 compared with May 2017, seasonally adjusted production in the construction sector decreased by 0.5% in the euro area (EA19) and by 0.2% in the EU28, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In May 2017, production in construction fell by 0.2% in the euro area and by 0.5% in the EU28.

In June 2017 compared with June 2016, production in construction increased by 3.4% in the euro area and by 3.6% in the EU28.

Monthly comparison by construction sector and by Member State

The decrease of 0.5% in production in construction in the euro area in June 2017, compared with May 2017, is due to civil engineering falling by 0.5% and building construction by 0.4%.

In the EU28, the decrease of 0.2% is due to building construction falling by 0.3%, while civil engineering grew by 0.2%. Among Member States for which data are available, decreases in production in construction were recorded in Germany (-1.0%), Belgium and France (both -0.7%) and the United Kingdom (-0.2%).The highest increases were registered in Slovenia (+12.1%), Spain and Slovakia (both +2.2%) and Poland (+2.1%).

Annual comparison by construction sector and by Member State

The increase of 3.4% in production in construction in the euro area in June 2017, compared with June 2016, is due to building construction rising by 3.9% and civil engineering by 1.2%.

In the EU28, the increase of 3.6% is due to building construction rising by 4.0% and civil engineering by 2.9%.

Among Member States for which data are available, the highest increases in production in construction were recorded in Hungary (+27.2%), Slovenia (+21.2%), Sweden (+17.3%) and Poland (+13.4%). Decreases were observed in Romania (-6.3%) and Slovakia (-0.5%).

Geographical information
The euro area (EA19) includes Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland. The European Union (EU28) includes Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Malta are not required to supply monthly data under Council Regulation 1165/98.

Methods and definitions
The index of production in construction approximates the evolution of the volume of production within the sector, broken down into building construction and civil engineering. Seasonally adjusted euro area and EU series are calculated by aggregating the seasonally adjusted national data. Eurostat carries out the seasonal adjustment of the data for those countries that do not adjust their data for seasonal effects. The monthly index as presented in this News Release is calculated only on the basis of the data of those countries reporting monthly data. Missing observations from Member States for recent months are estimated for the calculation of the euro area and the EU aggregates.

Revisions and timetable
Data of previous months have been revised compared with those issued in News Release 115/2017 of 19 July 2017. The monthly percentage change for May 2017 has been revised from -0.7% to -0.2% in the euro area and from -1.1% to -0.5% in the EU28. The annual percentage change has been revised from +2.6% to +2.7% in the euro area and from +2.5% to +3.1% in the EU28.

Source: eurostat – Production in construction down by 0.5% in euro area

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