According to first estimates released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, in May this year the seasonally-adjusted production of the construction sector in the European Union member states (EU-28) decreased by 1.1 percent compared to March and rose by 2.5 percent compared to the same month of 2016. In April, production grew 0.2 percent compared to the previous month.
In the euro area, the seasonally-adjusted production of the construction sector in May decreased by 0.7 percent month on month and rose by 2.6 percent year on year. In April, production had risen by 0.3 percent compared to March, according to the newly revised data.
Building construction in the EU-28 in May decreased by 1.1 percent month on month and was up 2.9 percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region decreased by 1.1 percent from March and was up by 1.6 percent year on year. In the euro area, building construction decreased by 0.6 percent month on month and was up 2.5 percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region decreased by 0.9 percent month on month and rose by 2.8 percent year on year.
As compared to May last year, construction output in May this year increased by 35.3 percent in Hungary and by 11.9 percent in Bulgaria, while a decrease of 16.7 percent was registered in Romania, a decline of 5.6 percent was registered in Spain and a fall of 2.1 percent was seen in Slovakia.
As compared to April, construction output in May this year decreased by 10.6 percent in Slovenia, by 7.1 percent in Sweden and by 4.9 percent in Slovakia, while construction output increased by 7.6 percent in Hungary, by 3.6 percent in Bulgaria, and by 2.7 percent in Italy.