According to first estimates released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, in May this year the seasonally-adjusted production of the construction sector in the European Union member states (EU-28) decreased by 0.7 percent compared to April and fell by 1.1 percent compared to the same month of 2015. In April, production had increased by 0.6 percent compared to the previous month.
In the euro area, the seasonally-adjusted production of the construction sector in May decreased by 0.5 percent month on month and moved down by 0.8 percent year on year. In April, production had decreased by 0.3 percent compared to March, according to the newly revised data.
Building construction in the EU-28 in May decreased by 0.5 percent month on month and was up 0.1 percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region decreased by 1.9 percent from March and was down by 6.6 percent year on year. In the euro area, building construction decreased 0.3 percent month on month and was down 0.7 percent year on year, while civil engineering output in the region narrowed by 1.9 percent month on month and by 1.7 percent year on year.
As compared to May 2015, construction output in May this year increased by 14.4 percent in Sweden, by 7.5 percent in Romania, by 3.1 percent in Spain and by 2.1 percent in the Netherlands, while a decrease of 26.6 percent was registered in Hungary, a decline of 21.2 percent was seen in Slovenia and a fall of 13.8 percent was recorded in Poland.
As compared to April, construction output in May this year increased by 3.4 percent in Sweden, by 2.8 percent in the Czech Republic and by 2.6 percent in Slovenia, while construction output decreased by 3.6 percent in Italy, by 3.0 percent in Romania and by 2.3 percent in the UK.