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) increased by 2.2 percent compared to February and was up 14.9 percent compared to the same month of 2020. In February, production in the construction sector had decreased by 1.7 percent when compared to the previous month.
In the euro area, the seasonally-adjusted production of the construction sector in March increased by 18.3 percent compared to the same month of 2020 and was up by 2.7 percent compared to the previous month. In February, production decreased by 2.0 percent compared to the previous month, according to the newly revised data.
Building construction in the EU-27 in March increased by 1.1 percent month on month and advanced by 13.7 percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region was up by 7.7 percent from February and increased by 19.0 percent year on year. In the euro area, building construction rose by 1.3 percent month on month and increased by 16.8 percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region was up by 9.4 percent month on month and increased by 23.2 percent year on year.
As compared to March 2020, construction output in March this year increased by 74.5 percent in Italy, by 46.3 percent in France and by 36.3 percent in Belgium, while it decreased by 13.2 percent in Spain, by 12.6 percent in Poland and by 4.0 percent in Finland.
As compared to February, construction output in March this year increased by 11.5 percent in Hungary, by 10.8 percent in Germany and by 9.0 percent in Slovakia, while it decreased by 7.3 percent in France, by 3.1 percent in Sweden and by 0.9 percent in Spain.