Euro area production in construction down in May

In the construction sector, seasonally adjusted production fell by 0.3% in the euro area and by 0.2% in the 27 member states in May 2013, compared with the previous month, according to first estimates released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

In April 2013, production rose by 1.0% and 1.1% respectively. Compared with May 2012, production decreased by 5.1% in both zones in May 2013.

Among the Member States for which data are available for May 2013, production in construction fell in nine, rose in four and remained stable in the United Kingdom. The largest decreases were registered in Bulgaria (-4.2%), Poland and Slovenia (both -2.8%) and Germany (-2.6%), and the increases in Spain (4.4%), Romania (3.1%), Sweden (1.7%) and the Netherlands (1.1%).

Building construction decreased by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.5% in the EU27, after 0.5% and 1.2% respectively in April 2013.

Civil engineering rose by 0.1% in the euro area and by 0.5% in the EU27, after 4.3% and 2.3% respectively in the previous month.

Production in construction fell in eleven member states and rose in three. The largest decreases were registered in Poland (-28.6%), the Czech Republic (-15.5%), Portugal (-12.9%) and Slovakia (-12.1%), and the increases in Hungary (11.1%), Spain (8.2%) and Sweden (7.9%).

Building construction decreased by 5.2% in the euro area and by 4.7% in the EU27, after -6.4% and -5.0% respectively in April 2013. Civil engineering fell by 5.8% in the euro area and by 6.8% in the EU27, after -8.1% and -8.6% respectively in the previous month.