First estimates by the European Union's Statistics Office in the construction sector showed a seasonally adjusted 1.0% increase in production in the main euro area and 0.9% in the EU-27 (rest of the countries) in April 2013, compared to the previous month. Civil engineering grew by 3.9% in the euro area and 0.8% in the EU-27, which led to an increase in the consumption of steel products.
The largest growth was recorded in Germany (6.7%), Portugal (5.9%) and Italy (5.5%), in connection with which the demand for metal products, forged fences and elements. At the same time, construction volumes declined in Poland (-5.2%), Romania (-3.7%) and Spain (-3.1%).
Building construction increased by 1.1% in the euro area and 0.7% in the EU-27, after falling 1.2% and 0.9% respectively in March 2013. Building construction production declined 6.1% in the euro area and 5.2% in the EU-27, after falling 6.6% in both zones in March 2013.
Compared to April 2012, construction production decreased by 6.6% in the euro area and by 5.9% in the EU-27 in April 2013. In an annual comparison between EU member states for which data for April 2013 are available, construction production fell 12% in the core Eurozone and rose 3% in the EU-27.
The largest decline in annual comparison was recorded in Poland (-25.1%), Portugal (-24.4%), Slovenia (-19.3%) and Spain (-15.3%), and an increase in Hungary (9 , 8%), Bulgaria (3.9%) and Sweden (2.5%).
