FIEC Statistical Report 2025 now live:
Construction in a Year of Transition
FIEC launched the 2025 Statistical Report (68th edition). In this digital publication, readers can explore the latest figures, trends, and data on the construction industry across the European Union.
Each year, FIEC publishes its Statistical Report, providing a unique insight into the health of the construction sector and its essential role in the European economy.
This edition analyses 22 countries individually, as well as the EU as a whole, based on key indicators, including:
- Macroeconomic overview (economic context and public policy affecting construction);
- Gross value added (GVA);
- Investment in construction (total, residential, non-residential, renovation, and civil engineering);
- Employment in construction and its share in total EU employment;
- Building permits;
- Price trends for key construction materials.
Following modest growth in 2022 and 2023, construction investment in the EU contracted by 2.0% in 2024. This downturn was driven primarily by the sharp drop in housebuilding, which fell by 7.7%. A further decline of 3.9% is forecast for 2025, confirming persistent weakness in this segment.Civil engineering remains the main growth driver
Civil engineering activity increased by 5.9% in 2024, confirming its role as the most resilient component of the construction sector. This growth was supported by public investments and green infrastructure projects. The positive trend is expected to continue in 2025, with an estimated increase of 5.4%.
Non-residential construction: modest but stable
Non-residential construction grew slightly in 2024 (+0.2%) and is expected to remain relatively stable in 2025. However, the EU-wide average masks significant differences across Member States, with some experiencing strong growth and others facing sharp declines.
Residential construction under pressure
Despite growing political attention, the residential market continues to face significant challenges. Rising interest rates, reduced access to credit, and the gradual withdrawal of public incentives have deeply affected new housing construction. The slowdown in renovation activity further raises concerns about the EU’s ability to meet its climate and energy efficiency objectives.
Diverging trends across the EU
While the major economies in Western and Northern Europe – such as France, Germany and Italy – are experiencing stagnation or decline, other countries are seeing a more positive outlook. Greece, Spain, and Romania, in particular, are benefiting from EU recovery funds and major infrastructure plans, with construction activity expected to accelerate further in 2025.
Based on data provided by FIEC Member Federations, the Statistical Report 2025 offers a detailed and up-to-date overview of the sector and remains a key reference for EU and national decision-makers, as well as for stakeholders across the construction value chain.
Explore the full report by clicking the banner below.
Visit the site of the Statistical Report 2025.
FIEC’s contribution to the Quality Jobs Roadmap: a new Position Paper is out!
On 30 June, FIEC published its Position Paper on the Quality Jobs Roadmap in the framework of the consultation of EU social partners. This consultation process started in April, with a meeting with European Commissioner Roxana Mînzatu, and continued in May with a social partners’ hearing.
The European Commission will now finalise its Communication on a Quality Jobs Roadmap, expected for the end of 2025.
In its Position Paper, FIEC recalls the contribution of the employers in the construction sector to deliver quality jobs. At European level, the strong social dialogue between FIEC and EFBWW aims at supporting companies and workers in implementing and enforcing the EU legislation. At national level, FIEC’s member federations have many good practices in place to improve the working conditions and the attractiveness of the sector.
FIEC main messages to the European Commission include:
- The Quality Jobs Roadmap should also reflect the needs of employers.
- Quality jobs should not be defined.
- Companies need economic and legal stability to create quality jobs
- FIEC is not calling for new legislations but rather for a strong implementation and enforcement of existing one.
| Position paper |
Sustainability Reporting Simplification:
Member States agree on negotiating mandate
On 23 June, EU Member States in the Council agreed on their negotiating mandate for the first Omnibus Simplification Package on Sustainability Reporting. The law was proposed by the European Commission in February this year and entered the ordinary legislative co-decision procedure involving both the Member States and the European Parliament.
Once the European Parliament adopts its own negotiating position, talks in a Trilogue setting can begin, with a view to reaching an agreement on this file.
Earlier this year, EU-lawmakers already agreed to pause the enforcement of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) to ensure legal certainty for businesses.
The current negotiating mandate addresses the substance of both laws with the aim of reducing bureaucratic burden for companies while maintaining a high level of ambition regarding sustainability reporting and due diligence, and to ensure the competitiveness of companies in Europe.
At the EESC, FIEC and EFBWW discuss
construction industry’s key challenges
On 24 June, with the aim to explore ways to address some of the main current challenges impacting the construction industry, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) – in cooperation with the European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC) and the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW) – hosted the conference “Building Tomorrow: Addressing Europe’s Construction Sector Challenges – Social Partners & Civil Society’s Inputs”.
The debate focussed on :
Affordable housing
Labour shortages
Revision of Public Procurement Directives and abusive subcontracting
Moderated by Laurenţiu Plosceanu, EESC Vice-President and FIEC Vice-President for Communication & Enlargement, and opened by EESC President, Oliver Röpke, the roundtable included interventions by the European Commission, the European Labour Authority (ELA) and the European Parliament. All speakers agreed that a coordinated EU-wide approach to affordable, sustainable and decent housing is necessary, as well as a strategic focus on housing, productivity and appropriate financing instruments in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
Abusive forms of subcontracting and their negative impact on fair competition and workers’ rights were also mentioned several times during the event. Addressing these challenges requires shared commitment and action from the EU institutions, national governments, local stakeholders, and a strong social dialogue both at national and European level.
Open the joint FIEC and EFBWW Press Release to read more about the conference speakers, the interventions and some quotes, as well as the conclusions of the 3 panels and the takeway messages shared with the participants.
| PRESS RELEASE |
20 Years of European TEN-T Coordinators
FIEC took part in the conference “20 Years of European TEN-T Coordinators”, held on 25 June in Brussels and organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE).
This high-level event marked two decades of work by the European Coordinators in implementing the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and served as a platform to reflect on past achievements and discuss future challenges and priorities. The conference brought together ministers, current and former TEN-T Coordinators, representatives from financial institutions (such as the European Investment Bank), and a wide range of stakeholders from the transport and infrastructure sectors.
The event was officially opened by Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, who delivered a keynote address highlighting the strategic role of transport infrastructure in fostering EU cohesion, competitiveness, and security. The Commissioner outlined four key priorities for the coming years:
- The next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), in which TEN-T investments must remain a central pillar aligned with the EU’s priorities for competitiveness, security, and territorial cohesion.
- The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), a vital but heavily oversubscribed instrument. Coordinators are called upon to accelerate project implementation and address bottlenecks.
- Dual-use infrastructure for military mobility, which requires better coordination between Member States and institutions to reconcile civil and military requirements.
- The development of a high-speed, climate-resilient European rail network, with a new roadmap expected after the summer. The objective is to connect all major European cities through modern, interoperable lines capable of withstanding extreme climate events.
FIEC will continue to closely monitor these evolving priorities, particularly coordinated planning efforts, alignment of technical standards and the long-term financing prospects for infrastructure projects.
