According to first estimates released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, in March this year the seasonally-adjusted production of the construction sector in the European Union member states (EU-28) decreased by 0.9 percent compared to February and was down by 1.3 percent compared to the same month of 2017. In February, production decreased by 0.8 percent compared to the previous month.
In the euro area, the seasonally-adjusted production of the construction sector in March decreased by 0.3 percent month on month and rose by 0.8 percent year on year. In February, production decreased by 0.7 percent compared to January, according to the newly revised data.
Building construction in the EU-28 in March declined by one percent month on month and was down 0.8 percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region decreased by 0.7 percent from February and was down by 4.4 percent year on year. In the euro area, building construction decreased by 0.3 percent month on month and was up 2.4 percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region declined by 0.2 percent month on month and decreased by 4.2 percent year on year.
As compared to March 2017, construction output in March this year increased by 18.8 percent in Poland, by 17.1 percent in Spain and by 4.9 percent in Slovakia, while it decreased by 10.8 percent in Romania, by 8.1 percent in the UK and by 2.5 percent in France.
As compared to February, construction output in March this year increased by 3.1 percent in Spain, by 2.3 percent in Slovakia and by 1.1 percent in Belgium, while construction output decreased by 10.3 percent in Hungary, by 9.2 percent in Romania and by 2.6 percent in France.