According to first estimates released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, in December last year the seasonally-adjusted production of the construction sector in the European Union member states (EU-28) increased by one percent as compared to November and was up 0.8 percent compared to the same month of 2012. In November, production had decreased by 0.8 percent compared to the previous month.
In the euro area, the seasonally-adjusted production of the construction sector in December last year grew 0.9 percent month on month, while decreasing by 0.2 percent compared to December 2012. In November, production had decreased by 0.2 percent in the euro area compared to October, according to the newly revised data.
Meanwhile, in 2013 production in the construction sector dropped by 2.9 percent in the euro area and by 2.2 percent in the EU-28, year on year.
Building construction in the EU-28 in December increased by 0.7 percent month on month and by 0.1 percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region increased by 3.5 percent from November and was up 2.3 percent year on year.
As compared to November, construction output in December increased in the Czech Republic by six percent, in France by 4.5 percent and in Slovakia by 2.9 percent, while a decrease of 17.2 percent was registered in Slovenia, a decline of 4.1 percent was recorded in Poland and a decrease of 3.3 percent was seen in Spain.
As compared to December 2012, construction output increased in Hungary by 11.5 percent, in Slovakia by 9.2 percent and in the UK by 6.8 percent, while a decrease of 14.1 percent was registered in Portugal, a decline of 8.8 percent was recorded in Italy and a decline of 4.7 percent was witnessed in Spain.