EU annual figures show rise

Construction in the European Union was up 2.7% in June 2018 over the same month a year ago, and in the Eurozone an increase of 2.6% was seen, first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical officer for the European Union, suggest.

The June 2018 figure for seasonally-adjusted production in the construction sector compared with May 2018 showed an increase of 0.2% in the Eurozone, and 0.6% in the EU28.

In May 2018, production in construction grew by 0.3% in the Eurozone and by 1.2% in the EU28.

The month-on-month increase of 0.2% in Eurozone construction in June this year was said to be a result of civil engineering rising by 0.3%, and building construction by 0.1%.

In the EU28, the increase of 0.6% was attributed to civil engineering rising by 2.1% and building construction by 0.3%.

Among Member States with data available, the highest increases in production in construction were recorded in Hungary, at 7.2%, Slovakia, 4.5% and France, 3.8%.

The largest decreases were seen in Slovenia, with a fall of 5.0%, and Germany, down 3.2%.

In the annual comparison, the increase of 2.6% in production in construction in the Eurozone area in June 2018 was said to be thanks to civil engineering rising by 3.7% and building construction by 2.1%.

In the EU28, the increase of 2.7% was said to be because of civil engineering rising by 6.2% and building construction by 1.8%.

Among Member States with available data, the highest increases in production in construction were recorded in Hungary, with a rise of 28.3%, Poland, up 24.2%, and the Czech Republic, up 8.9%. The only decrease was observed in Bulgaria, with a fall of 2.9%.