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-27) decreased by 12 percent compared to February and was down by 13.4 percent compared to the same month of 2019. In February, production in the construction sector had declined by 0.2 percent when compared to the previous month.
In the euro area, the seasonally-adjusted production of the construction sector in March decreased by 15.4 percent compared to the same month of 2019 and was down by 14.1 percent compared to the previous month. In February, production fell by 0.5 percent compared to January, according to the newly revised data.
Building construction in the EU-27 in March declined by 11.8 percent month on month and contracted by 13.3 percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region was down by 13.7 percent from February and decreased by 14.9 percent year on year. In the euro area, building construction declined by 14 percent month on month and by 15.2 percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region was down by 16 percent month on month and improved by 17.2 percent year on year.
As compared to March 2019, construction output in March this year increased by 28.1 percent in Romania, by 5.1 percent in Germany and by 1.5 percent in Poland and Finland, while it decreased by 41.2 percent in France, by 35.4 percent in Italy and by 23.2 percent in Belgium.
As compared to February, construction output in March this year increased by 2.1 percent in Romania, by 1.8 percent in Germany and by 1.5 percent in the Netherlands, while construction output decreased by 40.2 percent in France, by 36.2 percent in Italy and 11.9 percent in Slovenia.