Seasonally adjusted European construction sector production fell by 0.3 percent in the euro area (EA17) and by 0.2 percent in the EU27  in May compared with the previous month, according to Eurostat. In April, production rose by 1 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively. Compared with May 2012, production decreased by 5.1 percent in both zones in May.

In a monthly comparison among the Member States for which data are available for May, production in construction fell in nine, rose in four and remained stable in the United Kingdom. The largest decreases were in Bulgaria (down 4.2 percent), Poland and Slovenia (both down 2.8 percent) and Germany (down 2.6 percent), and the largest increases were in Spain (up 4.4 percent), Romania (up 3.1 percent), Sweden (up 1.7 percent) and the Netherlands (up 1.1 percent).

Building construction decreased by 0.6 percent in the euro area and by 0.5 percent in the EU27, after up 0.5 percent and up 1.2 percent, respectively, in April. Civil engineering rose by 0.1 percent in the euro area and by 0.5 percent in the EU27, after increasing 4.3 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively, in the previous month.

In an annual comparison among the Member States for which data are available for May, production in construction fell in eleven and rose in three. The largest decreases were registered in Poland (down 28.6 percent), the Czech Republic (down 15.5 percent), Portugal (down 12.9 percent) and Slovakia (down 12.1 percent), and the largest increases were in Hungary (up 11.1 percent), Spain (up 8.2 percent) and Sweden (up 7.9 percent).

Building construction decreased by 5.2 percent in the euro area and by 4.7 percent in the EU27, after falling 6.4 percent and 5 percent, respectively, in April. Civil engineering fell by 5.8 percent in the euro area and by 6.8 percent in the EU27, after falling 8.1 percent and 8.6 percent, respectively, in the previous month.