Luxembourg, 23/06/2003 (Agence Europe) - According to estimates published on 19 June by Eurostat, production in the construction sector fell by 1.5% in the euro zone and by 1.3% in the European Union (EU15) during the first quarter of 2003 compared to the fourth quarter of 2002. During the fourth quarter 2002, production had already fallen by 0.4% in the euro zone and by 0.3% in the EU15. The only rises in the construction sector were observed in Belgium (+4.4%) and Spain (+1.1%), while the largest falls were recorded in Germany (-5.3%), the United Kingdom (-2.6%) and Denmark (-2.3%). The construction sector recorded falls of 1.0% in the euro zone and 1.1% in the EU15, whereas the civil engineering sector had falls of 1.5% and 1.1%.
The EU Statistical Office points out, moreover, that, on an annual basis, production was down by 3.6% in the euro zone and by 2.2% in the EU15 during the first quarter of 2003, after a fall of 1.4% and a rise of 0.3% respectively during the last quarter of 2002. The only annual rises during the first quarter of 2003 were recorded in the United Kingdom (+3.5%), Spain (+1.9%) and in Finland (+0.5%). Germany (-14.2%), Denmark (-14.0%) and the Netherlands (-6.4%) had major falls in production. The index for building construction decreased by 3.2% in the euro zone and 1.6% in the EU15 after a fall of 1.1% in the euro zone and an increase of 1.1% in the EU15 in the previous quarter. Civil engineering fell by 5.3% in the euro zone and 5.9% in the EU15, after falls of 3.2% and 3.8% respectively in the previous quarter.