The residential and infrastructure segments have recovered, but the sector’s year-over-year performance remains negative

In February 2026, seasonally adjusted production in the EU construction sector rose by 0.1% compared with January, while in the eurozone it fell by 0.2% month-on-month. This is according to preliminary data from Eurostat. At the same time, January figures were revised downward: the decline in the EU was 2.1%, and in the eurozone, 1.3% month-on-month.

Thus, after a weak start to the year, the sector has partially stabilized, although the recovery remains uneven. On an annual basis, construction activity in February was 2% lower than last year in the EU and 1.9% lower in the eurozone.

By segment, the situation improved in February. In the EU, building construction rose by 0.7% MoM, civil engineering by 0.5%, while specialized construction work fell by 0.2%. In the eurozone, building and civil engineering production each increased by 0.2%, while specialized work declined by 0.3%. This indicates a partial recovery in residential and infrastructure demand following a sharp decline in January.

Among member states, the highest monthly growth in February was recorded in Romania (+8.7%), Slovenia (+5.5%), and Slovakia (+5.4%). The worst performance was seen in Poland (-3.7%), Belgium and France (both -1.4%), as well as Germany (-1.2%).

On an annual basis, the largest declines in construction were observed in Poland (-13.7%), Spain (-10.2%), and France (-3.5%). The highest growth rates were recorded in Slovenia (+24.1%), Romania (+15.6%), and Slovakia (+8.2%).

By the end of 2025, the total volume of construction in the European Union had grown by 0.5%, indicating a weak recovery of the sector following a 1.3% decline 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, while a slight slowdown to +0.8% was forecast for 2026.