On an annual basis, the figure fell by 1.8%

In July 2026, seasonally adjusted output in the European Union’s construction sector fell by 0.3%f month-on-month, whilst in the euro area it remained stable compared with June. This is according to preliminary data from Eurostat.

On a year-on-year basis, the trend was worse – the figure fell by 1.8% in the EU and by 2% year-on-year in the eurozone.

By sector, in July, compared with the previous month, building construction in the European Union fell by 0.4%, civil engineering by 0.9%, and specialised construction works by 0.2%.

In the eurozone, the building construction index remained at the previous month’s level, civil engineering works increased by 0.6%, and specialised construction works fell by 0.1%.

Among the Member States, the sharpest monthly decline in output in the construction sector was recorded in Hungary (-4.7%), Poland and Sweden (both -3.8%) and Austria (-2.2%). The highest growth was observed in Belgium (+2.8%), the Czech Republic (+2.1%) and Slovakia (+1.9%).

In 2025 the total volume of construction  in the European Union rose by 0.5%, indicating a weak recovery in the sector following a fall of 1.3% in 2024.

According to Eurofer, in 2025 the EU construction sector, one of the main consumers of steel, remained weak. Following a 2% decline in 2024, growth was expected to reach +1.1% in 2025, whilst a slight slowdown to +0.8% was forecast for 2026.