Eurostat: Romania, among the EU countries where construction works increased, in December

In December 2021 compared with November 2021, seasonally adjusted production in the construction sector decreased by 4.0% in the euro area and by 3.1% in the EU, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.   In November 2021, production in construction fell by 0.2% in the euro area and increased by 0.1% in the EU. In December 2021 compared with December 2020, production in construction decreased by 3.9% in the euro area and by 1.8% in the EU. The annual average production in construction for the year 2021, compared with 2020, increased by 5.2% in the euro area and by 4.8% in the EU.   Monthly comparison by construction sector and by Member State   In the euro area in December 2021, compared with November 2021, building construction decreased by 4.5% and civil engineering by 1.9%. In the EU, building construction decreased by 3.6% and civil engineering by 1.3%. Among Member States for which data are available, the largest monthly decreases in production in construction were recorded in Austria (-8.1%), Germany (-7.3%) and France (-7.0%). The highest increases were observed in Hungary (+7.2%), Sweden (+4.6%) and Belgium (+3.2%). According to Eurostat, in Romania the construction works registered a decline of 0.2% in December, after an increase of 9.4% the previous month.   Annual comparison by construction sector and by Member State   In the euro area in December 2021, compared with December 2020, building construction decreased by 4.6%, while civil engineering increased by 0.7%. In the EU building construction decreased by 2.1%, while civil engineering increased by 1.7%. Among Member States for which data are available, the largest annual decreases in production in construction were observed in Germany (-13.6%), Slovenia (-6.4%) and Austria (-4.3%). The highest increases were recorded in Hungary (+29.0%), Italy (+19.3%) and Sweden (+9.6%).