25/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - According to information from Eurostat, released on 24 February, the euro-zone industrial new orders index increased by 5.7% in December 2003 compared with the previous month, Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, estimates today. The index fell by 0.1% in November 2003 after a rise of 1.2% in October. EU15 new orders also increased, by 5.3% in December 2003, after rises of 0.1% in November and 1.1% in October. In December 2003 compared to December 2002, industrial new orders increased by 13.4% in the euro-zone and by 13.0% in the EU15. The average industrial new orders index for year 2003 compared to 2002 increased by 0.4% in both zones.