Brussels, 18/07/2008 (Agence Europe) - Production in the building industry grew by 0.2% in May 2008 in the eurozone and by 0.3% in the EU27 compared with the previous month, when it fell by 0.6% and 0.5% respectively. Compared with May 2007, production fell by 1.1% in the eurozone but grew by 0.7% in the EU27.
In May 2008 compared with April 2008, production in the building industry rose in seven Member States, including the United Kingdom (3.4%), Spain and Romania (both 2.9%) and fell in six, particularly in Portugal (-9.0%), Slovakia (-5.1%) and the Netherlands (-1.9%). Year on year, production in construction increased in eight Member States, particularly Romania (31.5%) and Bulgaria and Poland (both 16.3%). It fell in five other countries, including Spain (-10.8%), Portugal (-6.8%) and the Czech Republic (-2.1%). Production in the building industry fell by 1.3% in the eurozone but rose by 2.1% in the EU27. (A.B. transl fl)