Brussels, 18/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - According to estimates published by Eurostat on Wednesday 18 November, construction sector production decreased by 1.1% in both the euro area and the EU27 in September 2009, compared with the previous month. In August, production rose by 0.1% in the euro area, but fell by 0.1% in the EU27. Compared with September 2008, output in September 2009 dropped by 8.0% in the euro area and by 9.4% in the EU27.
Month on month, construction output rose in four member states and fell in eight. The highest increases were registered in the Czech Republic (2.4%), Romania (2.0%) and Spain (1.5%), and the largest decreases in Slovenia (10.4%), Slovakia (6.2%) and Portugal (2.3%). Building construction decreased by 1.0% in the euro area and by 1.6% in the EU27, after falls of 0.6% and 0.4% respectively in August. Civil engineering dropped by 1.8% in the euro area and by 0.3% in the EU27, compared with increases of 4.0% and 2.9% respectively in the previous month.
Year on year, construction output fell in nine member states and rose only in Poland (5.7%), the Czech Republic (4.6%) and Germany (2.9%). The largest decreases were registered in Slovenia (32.2%), Romania (22.1%) and Bulgaria (19.7%). Building construction fell by 10.4% in the euro area and by 12.6% in the EU27, after falling by 14.2% and 14.8% respectively in August. Civil engineering increased by 0.9% in the euro area and by 4.7% in the EU27, after +3.2% and +6.2% respectively in the previous month. (A.B./transl.rt)