Within the EU, Malta registered the biggest drop in industrial production between August 2013 and August 2014, Eurostat figures published today show.
While production decreased by 7% when compared to the previous August, it was slightly higher - by 0.4% - than it was in the previous month when seasonally-adjusted figures are used.
The latest Eurostat figures confirm that industrial production has been on the decline in the EU.
When compared to July 2014, seasonally-adjusted industrial production fell by 1.4% in the EU and by 1.8% in the euro area.
The largest increases in industrial production were recorded in Denmark (6.9%), Portugal (3.1%) and the Netherlands (1.3%), while the largest decreases were registered in Hungary (-5.8%), Germany (-4.3%) and Croatia (-4.1%).
When compared to August 2013, industrial production fell by 0.8% in the EU and 1.9% in the euro area.
As explained above, Malta recorded the biggest drop, followed by Greece (-6%) and Lithuania (-4.9%). At the other end of the scale, industrial production increased by 18.3% in Ireland, by 5.6% in Luxembourg and by 4.6% in Slovenia.
PN hopes figures will not fall on deaf ears
The publication of the figures brought about a reaction from the Nationalist Party, which noted that the Labour Party's electoral manifesto stressed that the party's vision was that Malta should be the best in Europe. But as far as industry was concerned, it added, Malta was confirmed to be the worst in Europe.
The party stressed that this result was not the due to an international crisis, even though the manufacturing sector continually had to face challenges, including competition with emerging markets.
These challenges, it argued, required a hands-on government which was able to identify the initiatives and incentives that would help the sector adapt to present-day challenges. This, the PN added, should be done before it is too late and jobs start being lost.
The PN said that it hoped that the figures do not fall on deaf ears and would urge the government to acknowledge the seriousness of the situation, and to develop concrete measures to turn the sector's fortunes around before the 2015 Budget is read out.