In March 2015, compared with February 2015, seasonally-adjusted production in the construction sector rose by 0.8 per cent in the euro area (EA19) and by 1.5 per cent in the EU28, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In February 2015, production in construction dropped by 1.6 and 0.8 per cent, respectively.

In March 2015 production in construction fell by 2.7 per cent in the euro area and by 1.3 per cent in the EU28 compared to the same month of the year before.

Monthly comparison by construction sector and Member State
The increase of 0.8 per cent in production in construction in the euro area in March 2015, compared with February 2015, is due to building construction rising by 0.3 per cent and civil engineering by 3.2 per cent.

In the EU28, the increase of 1.5 per cent is due to building construction rising by 1.1 per cent and civil engineering by 3.1 per cent.

Among Member States for which data are available, the highest increases in production in construction were observed in Hungary (+6.3 per cent), Romania (+4.4 per cent) and the UK (+3.8 per cent). Decreases were recorded in Spain (-1.4 per cent) and Bulgaria (-0.7 per cent).

Annual comparison by construction sector and Member State
The decrease of 2.7 per cent in production in construction in the euro area in March 2015 versus the same month of the year before is attributed to building construction falling by four per cent while civil engineering rose by 2.5 per cent.

In the EU28, the decrease of 1.3  per cent is due to building construction falling by 2.7 per cent, while civil engineering rose by 4.7 per cent.

Among Member States for which data are available, the largest decreases in production in construction were registered in Spain (-0.8 per cent), France (-5.3 per cent) and Slovenia (-4.0 per cent). The highest increases were in Romania (+13.3 per cent), Hungary (+12.7 per cent) and The Netherlands (+11.5 per cent).