Construction output in the EU and its Eurozone in October 2009

These are first estimates released on December 17 by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities re output in the construction sector in the EU and the Eurozone,

1) Seasonally adjusted production decreased by 0.6% in the Eurozone and by 0.4% in the EU in October 2009, compared with September 2009. In September 2009, production had fallen by 0.8% and 0.5% respectively.

2) Compared with a year ago, ie October 2008, output in October 2009 dropped by 7.7% in the Eurozone and by 6.9% in the EU.


Member States:

1) Monthly comparison
Among the Member States for which data are available for October 2009, construction output fell in nine, rose in Slovenia (+3.7%) and Sweden (+0.4%), and remained stable in France. The largest decreases were recorded in Slovakia (-7.3%), Bulgaria and Romania (both -4.4%).

Building construction dropped by 1.0% in the Eurozone and by 0.7% in the EU, after -0.7% and -0.6% respectively in September.
Civil engineering increased by 0.8% in the Eurozne and by 1.4% in the EU, after -2.2% and -0.8% respectively in the previous month.

2) Annual comparison
Among the Member States for which data are available for October 2009, construction output fell in nine and rose in Poland (+3.3%), the Czech Republic (+1.5%) and Germany (+0.2%). The largest decreases were registered in Slovenia (-28.2%), Bulgaria (-25.1%), Romania (-24.7%) and Slovakia (-21.2%).

Building construction fell by 10.1% in the Eurozone and by 9.9% in the EU, after -10.3% in both zones in September.
Civil engineering increased by 1.0% in the Eurozone and by 5.5% in the EU, after -0.9% and +2.5% respectively in the previous month.


(The EU has 27 member states, 16 of which are in the Eurozone)