Construction up in March

March saw an increase of 1.5% in the seasonally-adjusted production figure for construction in the EU28 over the previous month, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, although there was a fall compared with March 2014.

Eurozone countries saw a smaller rise in March over February – just 0.8%. The revised February 2015 figures had seen a fall over the previous month of 1.6% for the Eurozone, and 0.8% for the EU28. Production in construction in March 2015 in the Eurozone was 2.7% down on the same period last year, and 1.3% in the EU28.

Eurostat said the increase of 0.8% in the Eurozone in March 2015, compared with February 2015, was thanks to building construction rising by 0.3% and civil engineering by 3.2%.

In the EU28, the increase of 1.5% was said to be a result of building construction rising by 1.1% and civil engineering by 3.1%.

Among Member States with available data, the highest increases in production in construction were observed in Hungary at 6.3%, Romania 4.4%, and the UK 3.8%. Decreases were recorded in Spain, down 1.4%, and Bulgaria 0.7%.

With the annual comparisons, Eurostat said the decrease of 2.7% in production in construction in the Eurozone in March 2015, compared with March 2014, was because building construction fell by 4.0%, although civil engineering rose by 2.5%. In the EU28, the decrease of 1.3% was due to building construction falling by 2.7%, while civil engineering rose by 4.7%.

Among Member States with available data, the largest year-on-year decreases were registered in Spain, down 8.0%, France 5.3%, and Slovenia 4.0%. The highest increases were in Romania at 13.3%, Hungary 12.7% and the Netherlands 11.5%.