BRUSSELS, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Production in construction decreased in March by 1.3 percent in the EU28 and increased by 0.8 percent in the euro area year on year, Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, said Thursday.

Based on its first estimates, Eurostat said in a press release that seasonally adjusted production in the construction sector decreased by 0.3 percent in the euro area and by 0.9 percent in the EU28 in March compared with February 2018.

In February 2018, production in construction fell by 0.7 percent in the euro area and by 0.8 percent in the EU28.

Among member states for which data are available, the largest decreases in March in production in construction were recorded in Hungary (10.3 percent), Romania (9.2 percent) and France (2.6 percent), compared with February 2018.

The highest increases were observed in Spain (3.1percent), Slovakia (2.3percent) and Belgium (1.1percent).