Production in construction down 23.1%

In August 2020, the seasonally adjusted production in the construction sector rose by 2.6% in the euro area and by 2.4% in the EU, compared with July 2020, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

In July 2020, production in construction increased by 0.3% in the euro area while it remained stable in the EU. In August 2020 compared with August 2019, production in construction decreased by 0.9% in the euro area and by 1.5% in the EU.

Cyprus produces quarterly data under Council Regulation 1165/98, according to which, production in construction dropped by -12.2% in Q2 2020 compared to Q1 2020 and by -23.1% compared to Q2 2019.

In the euro area in August 2020, compared with July 2020, building construction increased by 2.8% and civil engineering by 0.7%. In the EU, building construction increased by 2.7% and civil engineering by 0.5%. Among Member States for which data are available, the highest increases in production in construction were recorded in France (+4.9%), Slovenia (+2.4%) and Hungary (+1.9%). The largest decreases were observed in Slovakia (-2.5%), Belgium (-2.0%) and Czechia (-1.4%).

In the euro area in August 2020, compared with August 2019, building construction decreased by 1.8%, while civil engineering increased by 2.3%. In the EU building construction decreased by 2.0%, while civil engineering increased by 0.9%. Among Member States for which data are available, the largest decreases in production in construction were observed in Slovakia (-18.0%), Hungary (-13.6%) and Poland (-12.1%). Increases were recorded in Romania (+12.4%), Slovenia (+4.8%) and Finland (+2.2%).