The European construction industry is a crucial economic contributor, accounting for EUR 1,208 billion in value-added in 2019, equivalent to 9.6% of the EU's total. It employed around 25.4 million individuals, with most working in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs made up 71.2% of the sector's value-added, indicating its SME-dominated nature, with over 5.3 million firms in the EU in 2018. Production in the sector fluctuated due to economic crises, notably the 2009 global financial crisis and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, with recovery in 2021. Challenges include environmental impact, limited technology adoption, and demographic shifts. Addressing climate change, energy efficiency, and attracting skilled workers, with an estimated need for 1 million workers by 2025, are pressing concerns.
The European Monitor of Industrial Ecosystems (EMI) project has produced its first yearly report on the Construction ecosystem, highlighting data on its progress in terms of its green and digital transition across several dimensions, including industrial performance, environmental impact, technology generation and uptake, start-up trends, investments and funding, and skills.
The data collected and used for this report is also shared in the data package below, relating to the abovementioned dimensions. Wherever possible, the data package allows for time series analyses, as well as comparisons among industrial ecosystems, Member States, and between the EU and other major economies such as the US and China.
