According to first estimates released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, in August this year the seasonally-adjusted production of the construction sector in the European Union member states (EU-28) decreased by 0.4 percent compared to July and rose by 3.1 percent compared to the same month of 2016. In July, production rose 0.1 percent compared to the previous month.
In the euro area, the seasonally-adjusted production of the construction sector in August decreased by 0.2 percent month on month and rose by 1.6 percent year on year. In July, production had remained stable compared to June, according to the newly revised data.
Building construction in the EU-28 in August decreased by 0.6 percent month on month and was up three percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region increased by 0.4 percent from July and was up by 3.6 percent year on year. In the euro area, building construction decreased by 0.2 percent month on month and was up 1.7 percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region decreased by 0.1 percent month on month and rose by 0.6 percent year on year.
As compared to August last year, construction output in August this year increased by 36.8 percent in Hungary, by 23.2 percent in Poland and by 14.7 percent in Sweden, while a decrease of 1.1 percent was registered in Italy, a drop of 0.6 percent was seen in Romania, with 0.4 percent declines registered in Belgium and Spain.
As compared to July, construction output in August this year decreased by 9.7 percent in Sweden, by 3.6 percent in Slovenia, by 1.4 percent in Slovakia and by 1.2 percent in Germany, while construction output increased by 9.8 percent in Hungary, by 1.8 percent in Italy and by 0.9 percent in Bulgaria.