Europe sees falling industrial output in 2020

By Yunus Girgin

ANKARA (AA) - The EU's industrial output in 2020 declined 8% compared to the previous year, the bloc's statistical office reported on Monday.

Eurostat said the figure was also down 8.7% in the eurozone during the same period.

The eurozone/euro area, or EA19, represents member states that use the single currency -- euro -- while the EU27 includes all member countries of the bloc.

"In December 2020 compared with December 2019, industrial production decreased by 1.6% in the euro area and by 1.2% in the EU," it said.

Among the main industrial groups, the production of non-durable consumer goods fell the most, down 3.9% during the month in the euro area and 3.1% in the EU year-on-year.

This was followed by capital goods, falling in the euro area by 3.1% and in the EU by 2.8%, and energy, which declined in the eurozone by 1.9% and across the bloc by 2.5%.

"The largest decreases in industrial production were registered in Belgium (-4.6%), Malta and Portugal (both -4.3%) in December 2020, compared with December 2019," Eurostat added.

On the other hand, among member states, the highest annual increase was seen in Slovakia (6.8%), Poland (6.1%), and Latvia (4.7%) in December 2020.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Statistical Institute revealed on Feb. 12 that Turkey's calendar-adjusted industrial production last December had risen 9% on a yearly basis.