Construction output rose across the eurozone and the wider European Union in May 2026, both month on month and year on year, according to figures published Monday by Eurostat.
Seasonally adjusted construction output rose 0.4% in the eurozone and 0.3% in the EU in May compared with April, Eurostat's initial estimates show. That follows growth of 0.1% in the eurozone and 0.5% in the EU in April. On an annual basis, output in May was up 1.2% in the eurozone and 1.8% in the EU compared with May 2025.
Within the eurozone, building construction fell 0.7% and civil engineering fell 0.5% month on month in May, while specialised construction activities rose 1.4%. Across the EU as a whole, building construction fell 0.4% and civil engineering fell 1.3%, while specialised construction activities rose 1.4%.
Among member states with available data, the strongest monthly gains came in Austria, up 3.3%, the Netherlands, up 2.0%, and France, up 1.3%. The steepest monthly declines were recorded in Hungary, down 6.4%, Spain, down 2.8%, and Slovenia, down 1.9%.
On an annual basis, eurozone building construction fell 6.6%, while civil engineering rose 3.5% and specialised construction activities rose 2.9%. Across the EU, building construction fell 5.2%, civil engineering rose 2.3% and specialised construction activities rose 3.3%. The largest annual increases came in Slovenia, up 19.2%, Slovakia, up 10.0%, and Finland, up 9.4%, while the biggest annual declines were in Spain, down 10.0%, Hungary, down 6.7%, and France, down 0.7%.
Eurostat notes that Cyprus is not required to submit monthly data within one month and 15 days of the end of the reference month, under Regulation 2019/2152.
Source: CNA
