Construction in the EU fell by 1.1% m/m in November

The largest monthly decline was recorded in Hungary, Slovenia, and Romania

Production in the European Union’s construction sector fell by 1.1% in November 2025 compared to the previous month, with a similar decline recorded in the eurozone. This is evidenced by preliminary data from Eurostat. Thus, the sector lost momentum after growth in October, when construction volumes in the EU increased by 1.4% month-on-month, and in the eurozone by 1.7% month-on-month.

In annual terms, construction activity in November fell by 0.4% in the EU and 0.8% in the eurozone. The weakest link remains the residential and non-residential construction segment, while civil engineering shows relatively better dynamics.

By type of activity in the eurozone in November, the volume of building construction decreased by 1.2% m/m, civil engineering by 1.6% m/m, and specialized construction work by 0.4% m/m. Across the EU, the decline was 1.1%, 2.5%, and 0.2% month-on-month, respectively.

Among EU member states, the largest monthly declines in construction volumes were recorded in Hungary (-7.3%), Slovenia (-6.2%), and Romania (-5.8%). At the same time, growth was observed in Slovakia (+3.5%), Finland (+2.3%), and Bulgaria (+1.5%).

On an annual basis, construction in the eurozone fell by 3.5% in November, while civil engineering and specialized works rose by 0.4%. In the EU, the decline in the building segment was 1.5%, civil engineering fell by 1.2%, while specialized construction work added 1.0%.

The highest annual growth in construction volumes was recorded in Finland (+14.5%), Slovenia (+12.2%), and the Czech Republic (+6.2%). The largest declines were observed in Belgium and Austria (both -4.9%) and France (-4.5%).

As reported by GMK Center, the average annual production volume in the EU construction sector in 2024 decreased by 1.3% compared to 2023.

According to Eurofer, in 2025, the EU construction sector, one of the main consumers of steel, will remain weak. After falling by 2% last year, growth is expected to reach +1.1% in 2025, while in 2026 a slight slowdown to +0.8% is forecast.