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-27) decreased by 3.3 percent compared to November and was down 2.1 percent compared to the same month of 2019. In November, production in the construction sector had increased by 1.8 percent when compared to the previous month.
In the euro area, the seasonally-adjusted production of the construction sector in December decreased by 2.3 percent compared to the same month of 2019 and was down by 3.7 percent compared to the previous month. In November, production increased by 2.3 percent compared to the previous month, according to the newly revised data.
Building construction in the EU-27 in December decreased by 3.3 percent month on month and contracted by 1.5 percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region was down by 3.1 percent from November and decreased by 4.2 percent year on year. In the euro area, building construction fell by 3.8 percent month on month and decreased by one percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region was down by 3.4 percent month on month and decreased by 3.8 percent year on year.
As compared to December 2019, construction output in December last year increased by 11.5 percent in Romania, by 2.2 percent in Germany and by 0.7 percent in the Netherlands, while it decreased by 13.0 percent in Belgium, by 12.4 percent in the Czech Republic and by 9.7 percent in France.
As compared to November, construction output in December last year increased by 9.1 percent in Slovakia, by 2.2 percent in Romania, 1.9 percent in Poland and by 1.8 percent in Spain, while it decreased by 13.1 percent in Slovenia, by 8.6 percent in France and by 3.2 percent in Germany.