Industrial production in the EU and the euro area fell in May 2021, the first time since February, while in Croatia it decreased for the second month in a  row, the latest data from the European statistical office Eurostat indicates.

In May 2021, in the 27-strong EU, the seasonally adjusted industrial production fell by 0.9% compared with April 2021, when it grew by 0.5%. In the EU, industrial output increased 0.8% in March on the year.

The euro area saw a 1% decrease in May, after a 0.6% decrease rise in April.

The biggest decrease in the EU was in energy production (-2%). In April it increased by 2.1%.

Among Member States for which data are available, the largest decreases were registered in Romania (-8.5%), Greece (-4.7%) and Ireland (-4.6%). The highest increases were observed in Lithuania (+7.7%), Hungary (+3.4%) and Finland (+2.2%).

Croatia’s industrial production fell by 2.1% in May, the same as in April and the strongest fall since November last year, Eurostat reported.