In the construction sector, seasonally adjusted production1 fell by 0.3% in the euro area (EA16) and remained stable in the EU27 in April 2010, compared with the previous month. In March, production rose by 6.5% and 6.0% respectively.

Compared with April 2009, output in April 2010 dropped by 6.1% in the euro area and by 4.3% in the EU27.

Monthly comparison

Among the Member States for which data are available for April 2010, construction output fell in eight, rose in five and remained unchanged in the Netherlands. The largest decreases were registered in Hungary (-8.1%), Spain(-4.9%) and Portugal (-3.7%), and the highest increases in Slovakia (+9.0%), the Czech Republic (+4.8%) and Germany (+2.6%).

Building construction fell by 0.9% in the euro area and by 1.2% in the EU27, after +9.2% and +7.2% respectively in March. Civil engineering increased by 3.4% in the euro area and by 3.0% in the EU27, after +0.9% and +1.5% respectively in the previous month.

Annual comparison

Among the Member States for which data are available for April 2010, construction output fell in eleven and rose only in Sweden (+9.1%), Germany (+4.8%) and the United Kingdom (+0.9%). The largest decreases were registered in Bulgaria (-22.7%), Spain (-18.5%) and Romania (-17.2%).

Building construction decreased by 6.0% in the euro area and by 4.9% in the EU27, after -3.2% and -3.0% respectively in March. Civil engineering dropped by 6.5% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU27, after -14.1% and -6.7% respectively in the previous month.