March 2020: Industrial production down by 11.3% in euro area (Covid-19 impact)

In March 2020, the COVID-19 containment measures widely introduced by Member States had a significant impact on industrial production.

The seasonally adjusted industrial production fell by 11.3% in the euro area and by 10.4% in the EU, compared with February 2020, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

In February 2020, industrial production fell by 0.1% in the euro area and remained stable in the EU.

In March 2020 compared with March 2019, industrial production decreased by 12.9% in the euro area and by 11.8% in the EU.

Monthly comparison

In the euro area in March 2020, compared with February 2020, production of durable consumer goods fell by 26.3%, capital goods by 15.9%, intermediate goods by 11.0%, energy by 4.0% and non-durable consumer goods by 1.6%.

In the EU, production of durable consumer goods fell by 23.8%, capital goods by 15.1%, intermediate goods by 9.9%, energy by 3.5% and non-durable consumer goods by 1.2%.

Among Member States for which data are available, the largest decreases in industrial production were registered in Italy (-28.4%), Slovakia (-20.3%) and France (-16.4%). The highest increases were observed in Ireland (+15.5%), Greece and Finland (both +1.9%) and Lithuania (+0.7%).

Annual comparison by main industrial grouping and by Member State

In the euro area in March 2020, compared with March 2019, production of durable consumer goods fell by 24.2%, capital goods by 21.5%, intermediate goods by 11.8%, energy by 6.7% and non-durable consumer goods by 0.8%.

In the EU, production of durable consumer goods fell by 21.7%, capital goods by 20.0%, intermediate goods by 10.1%, energy by 6.4% and non-durable consumer goods by 0.3%.

Among Member States for which data are available, the largest decreases in industrial production were registered in Luxembourg (-32.7%), Italy (-29.3%) and Slovakia (-19.6%). The highest increases were observed in Ireland (+25.3%), Malta (+5.7%) and Finland (+2.8%).