In February 2009 compared with January 2009, the euro area (EA16) industrial new orders index fell by 0.6%. In January the index decreased by 2.0%. In the EU27 new orders declined by 1.4% in February 2009, after dropping by 3.5% in January. Excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment, for which changes tend to be more volatile, industrial new orders fell by 1.3% in the euro area and by 0.7% in the EU27.

In February 2009 compared with February 2008, industrial new orders decreased by 34.5% in the euro area and by 33.3% in the EU27. Total industry excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment dropped by 34.1% in the euro area and by 32.2% in the EU27.

Monthly changes

In February 2009 compared with January 2009, new orders for capital goods grew by 2.9% in the euro area, but fell by 3.2% in the EU27. Non-durable consumer goods increased by 1.3% and 0.8% respectively. Durable consumer goods dropped by 0.6% in the euro area and by 2.0% in the EU27. Intermediate goods declined by 3.2% and 2.2% respectively.

Among the Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders rose in seven and fell in twelve. The highest increases were registered in Romania (+8.7%), Lithuania (+6.3%) and France (+4.8%), and the largest decreases in Latvia (-28.7%), Bulgaria (-11.9%) and Hungary (-5.2%).

Annual changes

In February 2009 compared with February 2008, new orders for non-durable consumer goods fell by 11.1% in the euro area and by 6.1% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods declined by 24.2% and 24.7% respectively. Intermediate goods decreased by 37.2% in the euro area and by 35.0% in the EU27. Capital goods dropped by 38.4% and 37.7% respectively.

Total manufacturing working on orders fell in all Member States for which data are available. The largest falls were registered in the Netherlands (-40.2%), Germany (-39.4%) and Denmark (-38.6%), and the smallest in Romania (-15.9%), Poland (-17.0%) and France (-24.3%).