In the construction sector, seasonally adjusted production rose by 0.3% in the euro area (EA17) and fell by 0.4% in the EU27 in December 2011, compared with the previous month. In November, production increased by 0.2% and 0.6% respectively.

Compared with December 2010, output in December 2011 increased by 7.8% in the euro area and by 7.4% in the EU27.

Compared with 2010, the average construction output index in 2011 decreased by 1.1% in the euro area, but increased by 0.7% in the EU27.

Monthly comparison

In December 2011 compared with November 2011, and among the Member States for which data are available, construction output rose in four, decreased in nine and remained stable in Sweden. The highest increases were registered in the Czech Republic (+5.5%), Slovakia (+3.8%) and Poland (+2.9%), and the largest decreases in the United Kingdom (-10.5%), Slovenia (-8.1%) and Germany (-6.4%).

Building construction increased by 1.5% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the EU27, after +0.8% and +1.1% respectively in November. Civil engineering fell by 2.6% in the euro area and by 0.7% in the EU27, after -0.3% and +0.3% respectively in the previous month.

Annual comparison

In December 2011 compared with December 2010, and among the Member States for which data are available, construction output rose in ten and fell in four. The highest increases were registered in Germany (+44.3%), the Czech Republic (+16.1%) and Poland (+14.9%), and the largest decreases in Slovenia (-21.9%), Bulgaria (-11.1%) and Portugal (-10.8%).

Building construction increased by 7.0% in the euro area and by 5.7% in the EU27, after +0.8% and +0.9% respectively in November. Civil engineering increased by 8.0% in the euro area and by 13.6% in the EU27, after -1.9% and +2.3% respectively in the previous month.