Poland reported the biggest drop in construction output in the EU in January

Poland reported a 11.0% decline in construction output, year-on-year, in January 2026, the highest in the European Union, new data from Eurostat has revealed.

Other countries to report a notable annual drop in construction output included Spain (-9.9%) and Hungary (-9.5%), while Slovenia posted strong growth of 11.6%, followed by Bulgaria (+4.0%) and Denmark (+3.3%).

On a sector-by-sector basis, production in construction decreased by 8.4% for construction of buildings, decreased by 4.6% for civil engineering and increased by 0.7% for specialised construction activities.

Construction output in the EU

Overall, construction output across the European Union edged down at the start of 2026, Eurostat’s data showed.

In January 2026, seasonally adjusted production in construction fell by 0.1% in the euro area and by 0.9% across the EU compared with December 2025. On an annual basis, however, the downturn is more pronounced, with construction output dropping by 1.9% in the euro area and 2.0% in the EU.

Building construction recorded the sharpest month-on-month decline, falling by 3.0% in the euro area and 3.8% across the EU. Civil engineering also contracted significantly, down 4.4% and 4.5% respectively. In contrast, specialised construction activities rose by 1.7% in the euro area and 0.4% in the EU.

On a country-by-country basis, Poland saw the steepest monthly drop, with output falling by 9.0%, followed by Hungary (-8.8%) and Slovakia (-5.4%). Germany bucked the trend with a 2.9% increase in construction output, alongside smaller gains in the Netherlands (+0.4%) and Denmark (+0.2%). Read more here.

Annual Increase/Decrease in Production in Construction by EU Member State, January 2026 (%)