by Paulo Morais

54/2009 - 17 April 2009

February 2009 compared to January 2009

Construction output down by 1.8% in the euro area Down by 1.6% in the EU27 In the construction sector, seasonally adjusted production1 fell by 1.8% in the euro area2 (EA16) and by 1.6% in the EU272 in February 2009, compared with the previous month. In January3, production rose by 1.6% and 1.7% respectively. Compared with February 2008, output in February 2009 dropped by 11.8% in the euro area and by 11.2% in the EU27. These first estimates are released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities.

Production index in the construction sector Euro area, seasonally adjusted series

Trendline

EU27, seasonally adjusted series

Trendline

110

105

100

02-2009

11-2008

08-2008

05-2008

02-2008

11-2007

08-2007

05-2007

02-2007

11-2006

08-2006

05-2006

02-2006

11-2005

08-2005

05-2005

2005=100

02-2005

11-2004

08-2004

05-2004

02-2004

11-2003

08-2003

05-2003

02-2003

11-2002

08-2002

05-2002

02-2002

11-2001

08-2001

05-2001

02-2001

11-2000

08-2000

05-2000

02-2000

Monthly comparison Among the Member States for which data are available for February 2009, construction output rose in six and fell in five. The most significant increases were registered in Bulgaria (+2.0%), Germany (+1.9%) and Slovenia (+1.1%). The largest decreases were recorded in Romania (-8.6%), Spain (-5.3%) and Czech Republic (-2.0%). Building construction decreased by 1.5% in the euro area and by 1.6% in the EU27, after +0.2% and +1.7% respectively in January. Civil engineering decreased by 3.6% in the euro area and by 2.8% in the EU27, after +5.4% and +2.7% respectively in the previous month.

Annual comparison Among the Member States for which data are available for February 2009, construction output fell in nine and rose only in Poland (+2.2%) and Sweden (+2.1%). The largest decreases were registered in Slovenia (-25.0%), Germany (-20.9%) and Spain (-15.4%). Building construction decreased by 13.1% in the euro area and by 12.2% in the EU27, after -11.7% and -9.5% respectively in January. Civil engineering fell by 9.5% in the euro area and by 8.2% in the EU27, after -0.4% and -1.0% respectively in the previous month.

The production index in construction approximates the evolution of output within the sector, broken down into building construction and civil engineering. For the Member States which produce the construction index, but do not provide data for the reference period, Eurostat estimates missing values in order to calculate euro area and EU aggregates. For total construction, and according to the Council Regulation 1165/98, Eurostat publishes national seasonally adjusted data if available. For Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands and Sweden, Eurostat makes the adjustment. The seasonally adjusted euro area and EU series are calculated by aggregating the working-day adjusted series from individual Member States and making an adjustment for seasonal effects on these series. Therefore, the seasonally adjusted figures for total construction are based directly on the working day adjusted series from the Member States and not on an aggregation of the seasonally adjusted indices from the Member States. The euro area and EU seasonally adjusted growth rates might differ from the weighted growth rates of the individual Member States. Working-day adjusted figures are currently transmitted by most of the Member States. For Bulgaria, Denmark and Malta, Eurostat makes the working day adjustment. If a Member State does not supply monthly data (data not required by the regulation or data required but not yet sent), Eurostat calculates the missing series by linear interpolation from quarterly data, in order to calculate the monthly European aggregates. The euro area (EA16) includes Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland. The EU27 includes Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), the Czech Republic (CZ), Denmark (DK), Germany (DE), Estonia (EE), Ireland (IE), Greece (EL), Spain (ES), France (FR), Italy (IT), Cyprus (CY), Latvia (LV), Lithuania (LT), Luxembourg (LU), Hungary (HU), Malta (MT), the Netherlands (NL), Austria (AT), Poland (PL), Portugal (PT), Romania (RO), Slovenia (SI), Slovakia (SK), Finland (FI), Sweden (SE) and the United Kingdom (UK). The figures published in News Release 39/2009 of 23 March 2009 for January 2009 have been revised. Compared with December 2008 the figures were +1.3% in the euro area and +1.8% in the EU27. Compared with January 2008 the figures were -9.1% in the euro area and -7.3% in the EU27.

Issued by: Eurostat Press Office

For further information:

Tim ALLEN Tel: +352-4301-33 444 eurostat-pressoffice@ec.europa.eu

Sarmite VISOCKA Tel: +352-4301-32 762 sarmite.visocka@ec.europa.eu

Eurostat news releases on the Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat Selected Principal European Economic Indicators: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/euroindicators

Construction output - quarterly variation / monthly variation % change compared with the previous quarter / previous month* Total

Q1-08

Q2-08

Q3-08

Q4-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Jan-09

Feb-09

EA16

-0.1

-2.7

-1.8

-3.3

-1.7

-0.3

-1.1

-3.0

1.6

-1.8

EU27

0.2

-3.8

-0.9

-2.8

-2.2

-0.2

-0.8

-2.4

1.7

-1.6

Belgium

-1.0

0.4

-1.9

-6.2

0.1

-4.4

1.3

-4.2

1.7

Bulgaria

-6.5

0.6

-0.4

-1.5

3.7

0.7

-5.9

2.1

-1.3

2.0

5.4

-5.9

1.4

-4.1

2.4

-4.5

-0.2

-1.3

0.3

-2.0

Czech Republic Denmark

-2.1

0.3

-1.8

0.5

1.2

1.8

-2.3

-0.3

Germany

7.3

-10.3

-0.1

1.6

-2.6

-0.6

0.3

5.9

-7.5

1.9

Estonia**

-6.6

-3.7

-7.0

-2.9

Ireland**

-12.6

-4.3

-4.7

-7.7

Greece**

-1.2

2.1

-0.1

-1.5

Spain

-6.0

-4.6

-4.1

-4.2

-5.7

1.3

0.2

-5.9

6.2

-5.3

France

1.5

-1.9

-0.7

-1.2

0.4

-0.3

-0.7

-0.8

0.5

-0.1

Cyprus**

0.6

-0.7

-0.2

-3.0

Latvia**

2.2

-3.6

-7.0

-8.5

Lithuania**

3.2

-3.1

-5.4

-8.8

Luxembourg

2.6

-1.2

-2.9

-0.1

0.9

-2.5

-1.1

5.5

Italy

Hungary

4.7

1.2

-5.6

1.0

-0.5

0.4

-0.8

2.3

-13.9

-0.2

1.3

0.3

0.8

Austria

4.1

-3.4

-1.9

0.3

-0.1

-0.3

1.5

-2.2

1.9

Poland

0.8

3.7

-1.5

0.7

0.9

-1.1

2.2

-1.3

0.5

Portugal

-0.6

-0.7

-0.3

-0.9

0.8

0.2

-1.3

-1.4

-3.3

0.5

Romania

5.4

7.8

-0.3

1.1

1.0

-3.8

5.4

-1.2

-3.4

-8.6

Slovenia

37.4

-10.6

-4.6

-11.6

4.6

-1.2

-15.0

-9.4

15.2

1.1

Slovakia

17.7

-4.4

-0.4

1.5

5.9

-2.5

1.0

-1.9

-19.6

Finland

4.0

-0.7

-0.4

-6.3

-4.8

-1.1

-0.2

-9.1

3.0

Sweden

2.5

2.3

1.6

1.1

0.3

0.4

0.2

0.6

0.4

United Kingdom

1.1

-0.7

-1.4

-6.4

-9.2

-1.2

-2.2

0.2

-0.9

Malta** Netherlands

Building

Q1-08

Q2-08

Q3-08

Q4-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Jan-09

Feb-09

EA16

-0.5

-2.7

-2.4

-3.6

-2.1

-0.4

-1.1

-2.7

0.2

-1.5

EU27

-0.4

-2.8

-1.7

-3.9

-3.3

-0.3

-0.8

-3.4

1.7

-1.6

Civil engineering

Q1-08

Q2-08

Q3-08

Q4-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Jan-09

Feb-09

EA16

-0.1

-3.4

0.0

-2.3

-0.7

-1.0

-0.3

-2.9

5.4

-3.6

EU27

1.1

-2.7

-0.2

-1.7

0.1

-1.1

-0.2

-1.6

2.7

-2.8

* Seasonally adjusted : Data not available c Confidential ** These Member States are not required to supply monthly data under Council Regulation 1165/98

Construction output â&#x20AC;&#x201C; annual variation % change compared with the same quarter / the same month of the previous year* Total

Q1-08

Q2-08

Q3-08

Q4-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Jan-09

Feb-09

EA16

-0.2

-3.8

-4.8

-8.1

-6.4

-5.8

-5.9

-13.0

-9.0

-11.8

EU27

1.0

-1.7

-3.0

-7.1

-4.6

-6.3

-4.7

-10.4

-7.5

-11.2

Belgium

0.3

3.4

0.1

-8.7

-1.6

-9.8

-5.1

-11.8

-13.4

Bulgaria

-3.2

-0.8

-2.6

-7.2

0.6

-1.4

-12.3

-8.3

-4.8

-3.3

0.0

-2.5

5.2

-4.0

8.7

-1.9

-2.3

-8.2

-10.0

-13.2

Denmark

-3.0

-2.4

-3.6

-2.7

-3.7

0.0

-4.5

-3.5

Germany

2.9

-1.2

-1.3

-2.3

-1.7

-2.4

-1.4

-3.3

-25.2

-20.9

Estonia**

-3.7

-6.2

-15.5

-19.8

Ireland**

-24.4

-26.1

-23.3

-26.7

Greece**

4.1

8.2

2.9

-2.4

Spain

-9.4

-17.3

-18.6

-19.7

-26.6

-17.8

-12.0

-27.3

-0.2

-15.4

France

3.7

0.3

0.2

-2.7

0.5

-1.4

-2.9

-4.0

-3.5

-4.9

8.8

4.2

2.6

-4.8

Czech Republic

Italy Cyprus** Latvia**

6.4

5.7

-6.3

-10.3

Lithuania**

12.6

5.6

3.4

-10.6

Luxembourg

-2.6

0.0

-2.0

-1.8

0.2

-5.3

-2.8

4.6

-17.4

-6.3

-5.9

0.8

1.0

-3.5

1.4

3.7

-16.0

1.3

2.9

3.2

2.3

Hungary Malta** Netherlands Austria

3.2

-1.3

-3.0

-1.4

-1.0

-2.6

1.4

-2.9

-2.2

Poland

15.5

18.5

8.2

2.7

7.8

5.6

2.1

0.8

9.1

2.2

Portugal

-1.3

-1.7

-0.4

-2.1

2.0

1.3

-2.1

-6.0

-6.8

-6.6

Romania

36.7

41.4

27.8

14.6

28.1

11.3

16.5

16.1

14.7

-6.7

Slovenia

32.3

16.9

15.6

4.3

22.4

15.1

-2.3

-3.6

-27.0

-25.0

Slovakia

12.3

10.0

14.0

15.2

16.8

8.4

-24.7

Finland

10.4

7.8

-4.7

3.1

-1.7

-2.7

-9.0

-10.7

Sweden

6.2

11.8

4.8

1.6

-14.8

4.7

14.7

-10.7

5.3

2.1

United Kingdom

3.4

1.8

0.0

-7.2

0.1

-11.6

-4.0

-5.5

-5.7

-12.2

Building

Q1-08

Q2-08

Q3-08

Q4-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Jan-09

Feb-09

EA16

-1.1

-4.3

-5.7

-9.3

-7.8

-6.6

-7.3

-14.5

-11.7

-13.1

EU27

0.0

-2.3

-3.8

-8.3

-6.0

-7.1

-5.9

-11.9

-9.5

-12.2

Civil engineering

Q1-08

Q2-08

Q3-08

Q4-08

Sep-08

Oct-08

Nov-08

Dec-08

Jan-09

Feb-09

EA16

2.4

-2.4

-5.6

-2.3

-4.4

-2.9

-10.0

-0.4

-9.5

EU27

5.3

0.6

0.1

-3.4

0.7

-3.5

-1.1

-5.6

-1.0

-8.2

* Working day adjusted : Data not available c Confidential ** These Member States are not required to supply monthly data under Council Regulation 1165/98

Monthly production indices for total construction, seasonally adjusted (base year 2005) EA16 EU27 BE BG CZ DK DE ES FR IT LU HU NL AT PL PT RO SI SK FI SE UK

02/08 106.0 109.0 106.5 156.7 124.1 110.6 122.0 89.6 109.7 c 105.8 81.7 c 116.3 146.4 90.0 177.1 191.5 142.1 129.6 121.7 107.5

03/08 103.7 107.4 102.4 149.9 121.0 110.7 106.9 87.8 108.8 c 105.6 81.8 c 114.4 148.9 88.8 194.3 171.7 136.3 127.0 122.8 109.9

04/08 102.3 102.1 108.7 156.9 116.9 112.2 104.2 84.1 107.9 c 103.7 85.6 c 111.1 151.2 90.3 188.9 171.6 138.9 130.2 123.6 94

05/08 102.3 103.7 108.4 154.4 111.4 111.3 105.6 85.4 106.7 c 104.8 82.8 c 112.1 148.9 87.8 204.6 169.3 133.0 126.9 124.5 103.4

06/08 101.4 104.8 105.6 151.2 114.9 111.1 104.5 83.1 106.8 c 102.2 77.9 c 106.7 151.8 88.3 190.8 157.0 131.4 124.4 125.3 119.1

07/08 101.1 102.9 108.3 155.9 116.4 109.9 101.8 81.9 107.2 c 98.8 76.5 c 107.1 150.3 88.8 189.1 158.1 130.8 125.7 126.1 100.3

08/08 100.6 103.5 104.0 149.6 114.4 108.6 107.5 82.4 105.8 c 101.1 78.2 c 108.3 146.8 88.1 195.8 154.9 131.7 130.2 126.6 110.9

09/08 98.8 101.3 104.1 155.2 117.1 109.9 104.7 77.8 106.2 c 101.9 77.8 c 108.2 148.1 88.8 197.8 162.0 139.4 124.0 126.9 100.7

10/08 98.6 101.1 99.5 156.2 111.8 111.9 104.1 78.8 105.9 c 99.4 78.1 c 107.9 149.4 89.0 190.3 160.1 135.9 122.6 127.4 99.5

11/08 97.5 100.2 100.8 147.0 111.6 109.3 104.4 79.0 105.2 c 98.3 77.5 c 109.5 147.8 87.8 200.6 136.1 137.2 122.3 128.0 97.3

12/08 94.5 97.8 96.6 150.1 110.1 108.9 110.6 74.3 104.4 c 103.7 79.3 c 107.1 151.0 86.6 198.2 123.3 134.6 111.2 128.2 95.2

01/09 96.1 99.5 98.2 148.2 110.4 : 102.3 78.9 104.9 c : 68.3 c 109.1 149.1 83.7 191.5 142.1 108.2 114.5 128.9 95.4

02/09 94.4 97.9 : 151.1 108.2 : 104.2 74.7 104.8 c : : c : 149.8 84.1 175.1 143.6 : c 129.5 94.5

Quarterly production indices for total construction, seasonally adjusted (base year 2005) EA16 EU27 BE BG CZ DK DE EE IE EL ES FR IT CY LV LT LU HU MT NL AT PL PT RO SI SK FI SE UK : Data not available

Q1-07 106.3 106.7 109.5 156.0 122.6 114.2 114.3 145.2 95.6 128.3 100.5 105.7 c 106.7 124.7 144.8 108.0 97.1 109.9 c 111.5 131.7 90.2 132.4 138.9 125.2 116.8 112.2 102.7

Q2-07 106.1 105.5 104.9 154.7 116.0 114.4 106.0 143.4 95.5 129.5 99.4 106.3 c 110.1 128.3 150.1 103.8 86.0 109.6 c 111.5 129.3 89.9 139.2 141.8 122.2 118.6 113.3 103.6 c Confidential

Q3-07 105.5 105.8 105.2 158.1 111.0 113.5 106.3 145.7 88.3 136.1 96.9 106.8 c 111.6 132.2 153.1 102.1 80.6 109.7 c 111.4 135.8 89.5 152.4 137.5 121.9 118.0 123.6 103.9

Q4-07 105.0 107.5 108.2 163.9 115.3 113.6 108.9 148.7 84.4 137.3 93.9 107.5 c 114.5 133.2 157.0 102.1 77.5 111.6 c 109.4 144.0 89.9 171.5 135.2 119.5 123.2 118.7 105.0

Q1-08 104.9 107.7 107.1 153.3 121.5 111.2 116.9 138.9 73.8 135.7 88.2 109.2 c 115.2 136.2 162.1 104.8 81.2 111.4 c 113.9 145.2 89.4 180.7 185.7 140.6 128.0 121.7 106.2

Q2-08 102.0 103.5 107.6 154.2 114.4 111.5 104.8 133.7 70.6 138.6 84.2 107.1 c 114.3 131.3 157.0 103.6 82.1 112.9 c 110.0 150.6 88.8 194.9 166.0 134.4 127.2 124.5 105.5

Q3-08 100.2 102.6 105.5 153.5 116.0 109.5 104.7 124.3 67.3 138.5 80.7 106.4 c 114.2 122.1 148.5 100.6 77.5 113.2 c 107.9 148.4 88.6 194.2 158.3 133.9 126.7 126.5 104.0

Q4-08 96.9 99.7 99.0 151.2 111.2 110.0 106.4 120.7 62.1 136.4 77.3 105.2 c 110.7 111.7 135.5 100.5 78.3 114.1 c 108.2 149.4 87.8 196.3 139.9 135.9 118.7 127.9 97.3

Monthly production indices for total construction, working day adjusted (base year 2005) EA16 EU27 BE BG CZ DK DE ES FR IT LU HU NL AT PL PT RO SI SK FI SE UK

02/06 02/07 02/08 03/08 04/08 05/08 06/08 07/08 08/08 09/08 10/08 11/08 12/08 01/09 02/09 86.2 89.2 96.0 97.7 103.2 102.4 107.4 108.2 104.5 85.1 106.5 108.8 105.6 89.0 84.1 88.8 91.3 97.7 100.0 105.4 101.8 108.0 112.9 105.2 94.0 107.8 109.4 106.4 95.2 87.3 : 92.7 100.7 108.4 104.3 118.1 121.7 117.4 63.4 105.2 117.1 110.2 105.9 78.9 88.8 99.0 144.3 145.1 151.2 159.2 153.1 157.8 167.6 154.4 154.8 167.7 144.5 144.2 131.3 140.3 65.6 54.9 76.4 75.6 93.7 100.2 107.7 119.8 119.1 125.2 145.7 137.0 149.4 121.6 60.3 : 96.6 105.4 101.8 96.8 109.7 112.0 115.0 113.0 113.3 115.6 115.0 112.4 113.5 : 67.4 59.8 77.9 85.2 99.5 110.2 114.5 120.4 122.4 117.8 125.0 123.1 116.6 84.9 58.8 74.3 96.1 96.7 87.8 86.8 81.0 83.1 80.1 78.8 78.0 74.2 77.5 83.8 84.9 83.6 97.0 104.0 108.6 115.3 109.6 110.5 116.0 117.2 66.1 112.4 120.4 110.3 91.2 102.5 103.3 c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c : 89.1 102.8 99.6 111.9 112.8 116.0 113.8 104.5 58.1 114.0 114.8 106.7 87.4 : : 66.7 72.0 59.2 67.2 76.8 79.2 79.8 74.7 86.0 91.1 86.3 88.9 119.1 41.9 c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c : 64.7 76.4 79.9 98.2 98.5 110.8 111.8 117.3 111.8 123.5 127.7 129.5 131.1 65.5 52.7 82.6 98.3 115.8 129.5 142.0 161.8 153.4 155.8 169.6 187.6 154.0 227.8 87.3 100.5 83.1 94.9 88.4 89.0 91.1 90.7 89.1 88.3 92.5 77.5 90.4 95.0 90.3 80.3 83.5 62.0 84.1 107.9 152.7 163.8 200.6 200.4 206.9 231.2 249.6 246.9 255.7 254.8 96.0 100.7 93.9 62.6 89.1 125.2 137.4 151.1 175.7 172.3 171.8 170.3 198.2 211.1 152.2 120.1 81.0 : 71.1 89.1 100.5 112.9 132.3 138.0 142.8 142.1 145.0 165.0 162.9 159.9 143.2 70.8 c 80.8 93.9 105.8 111.3 120.3 127.4 132.5 120.0 139.2 135.5 136.1 124.4 138.9 86.4 107.2 119.5 121.6 134.7 121.5 126.0 149.0 103.2 109.8 121.2 121.0 137.5 136.0 113.6 124.2 94.4 102.3 103.4 107.5 109.8 93.9 103.3 119.0 100.3 110.9 100.7 99.5 97.4 95.3 95.4

Quarterly production indices for total construction, working day adjusted (base year 2005) EA16 EU27 BE BG CZ DK DE EE IE EL ES FR IT CY LV LT LU HU MT NL AT PL PT RO SI SK FI SE UK : Data not available

Q1-07 98.0 99.0 104.7 149.6 78.8 105.7 85.3 110.0 87.0 104.3 94.9 106.1 c 97.6 80.2 97.9 102.6 71.2 110.4 c 79.2 84.8 91.1 84.1 94.1 91.2 94.7 114.3 102.6

Q2-07 110.3 109.4 115.2 158.0 112.0 115.0 116.4 149.8 97.0 126.3 98.4 111.7 c 120.9 124.5 149.1 114.2 83.9 110.1 c 108.5 121.9 90.9 133.2 142.4 125.2 117.5 118.1 103.6 c Confidential

Q3-07 103.6 105.4 95.0 163.2 123.4 118.2 123.4 168.6 89.6 141.4 94.6 98.2 c 100.6 160.5 170.1 93.9 89.2 109.6 c 121.2 147.5 87.2 179.2 155.6 136.8 122.0 106.2 104.0

Q4-07 110.0 111.5 107.8 164.0 141.5 116.8 110.7 152.5 90.7 159.4 102.2 110.2 c 123.2 151.2 172.5 104.8 97.4 110.8 c 131.3 185.2 90.4 220.2 154.6 136.2 139.8 129.4 105.0

Q1-08 97.8 99.9 105.1 144.7 78.8 102.5 87.8 105.9 65.8 108.5 86.1 110.1 c 106.1 85.4 110.3 99.9 58.8 111.8 c 81.7 98.0 89.9 114.9 124.5 102.5 104.6 121.4 106.1

Q2-08 106.0 107.6 119.2 156.7 109.2 112.2 115.0 140.6 71.6 136.6 81.4 112.0 c 126.0 131.6 157.5 114.3 78.6 113.3 c 107.1 144.4 89.4 188.4 166.5 137.7 126.7 132.1 105.4

Q3-08 98.6 102.3 95.1 159.0 129.8 113.9 121.7 142.4 68.8 145.5 77.0 98.4 c 103.3 150.5 175.8 92.0 83.9 113.1 c 117.5 159.5 86.8 229.0 179.9 150.6 131.5 111.3 104.0

Q4-08 101.1 103.6 98.4 152.2 135.9 113.7 108.1 122.4 66.5 155.6 82.0 107.3 c 117.2 135.7 154.2 103.0 98.2 113.4 c 129.4 190.2 88.5 252.4 161.2 155.3 133.2 131.4 97.4