Industrial surge: Eurozone climbs 2.6% in March production boost
According to preliminary estimates by Eurostat, industrial production in March 2025 increased by 2.6% in the eurozone and 1.9% in the European Union compared to February 2025. On an annual basis, there was a rise of 3.6% in the euro and 2.7% across the entire EU compared to March 2024.
In February 2025, industrial production grew by 1.1% in the eurozone and the European Union. This data indicates a significant revival of industrial activity in the year's first quarter.
In March 2025, compared to February, the eurozone saw intermediate goods increase by 0.6%, while energy production fell by 0.5%. The most significant growth was recorded in capital goods, which rose by 3.2%. The output of durable consumer goods increased by 3.1%, and non-durable consumer goods by 2.3%.
Across the European Union, the production of intermediate goods increased by 0.2%, while energy production decreased by 1.7%. Capital goods experienced an increase of 3.0%, durable consumer goods by 2.8%, and non-durable consumer goods by 1.3%.
Ireland (14.6%), Malta (4.4%), and Finland (3.5%) registered the highest monthly increases in industrial production. The largest declines occurred in Luxembourg (6.3%), Denmark and Greece (4.6% each), and Portugal (4.0%).
Annual comparison by category and member countries
On an annual basis, in March 2025 compared to March 2024, the production of intermediate goods in the eurozone decreased by 0.2%. Energy increased 2.2%, capital goods 1.0%, and durable consumer goods 1.1%. Particularly impressive was the increase in the production of non-durable consumer goods, which amounted to as much as 15.7%.
Annual changes across the European Union were similar. The production of intermediate goods decreased by 0.2%, while energy production increased by 0.8%. The production of capital goods increased by 1.0%, durable consumer goods by 1.3%, and non-durable consumer goods by 12.2%.
The highest annual increases in industrial production were noted in Ireland (50.2%), Malta (10.1%), and Lithuania (7.8%). The most significant declines occurred in Bulgaria (-8.3%), Romania (-7.8%), and Denmark (-5.7%). The considerable variability in Irish data stems from the specifics of Ireland's economy.
According to Eurostat, the high variability in Irish data is related to the nature of its economy. International corporations often locate their operational headquarters in Ireland, maintaining intellectual property rights and incomes within Irish subsidiaries, while actual production occurs in other countries. In business statistics, such subcontracted production is included in the national industrial production indicator, leading to greater variability in Irish data compared to other countries.
