Malta registered the highest decrease in industrial production on an annual basis in the EU, figures just published by Eurostat show.

Malta had a decrease of 11.9% compared to the previous year while the next country with a decrease was France with a 4.2% decrease, followed by Finland with a 2.9% decrease.

In May 2014 compared with April 2014, seasonally adjusted industrial production1 fell by 1.1% in both the euro area (EA18) and the EU28, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

In April 2014 industrial production rose by 0.7% in both zones. In May 2014 compared with May 2013, industrial production grew by 0.5% in the euro area and by 1.1% in the EU28.

The decrease of 1.1% in industrial production in the euro area in May 2014, compared with April 2014, is due to production of intermediate goods falling by 2.4%, non-durable consumer goods by 2.2%, durable consumer goods by 1.8% and capital goods by 0.5%, while energy increased by 3.0%.

In the EU28, the decrease of 1.1% is due to intermediate goods falling by 2.1%, non-durable consumer goods by 1.8%, durable consumer goods by 1.6% and capital goods by 1.0%, while energy increased by 2.2%.

The largest decreases in industrial production were registered in Portugal (-3.6%), Sweden (-3.2%) and Denmark (-2.1%), and the highest increases in Romania (+2.6%), Lithuania (+1.6%) and the Netherlands (+1.1%).

The increase of 0.5% in industrial production in the euro area in May 2014, compared with May 2013, is due to production of capital goods rising by 1.5%, non-durable consumer goods by 1.4% and intermediate goods by 0.4%, while durable consumer goods fell by 0.3% and energy by 3.1%.

In the EU28, the increase of 1.1% is due to production of capital goods rising by 2.2%, both intermediate goods and non-durable consumer goods by 1.4%, and durable consumer goods by 0.7%, while energy fell by 2.9%.

The highest increases in industrial production were registered in Romania (+15.0%), Lithuania (+10.2%) and Hungary (+9.5%), and the largest decreases in Malta (-11.9%), France (-4.2%) and Finland (-2.9%).

PN expresses concern, calls for immediate action

The Nationalist Party has expressed concern over the Eurostat data and called for immediate action.

The PN said the government is being “visibly indifferent” to this situation, which might affect thousands of factory employees.

The party noted that Malta has registered a big decrease at the same time Europe is experiencing an industrial revival and that the problem is infrastructural and not related to any particular company, like the government sometimes tries to portray.

Furthermore the government had not been able to persuade the EU that Maltese industry should be eligible to the highest level of assistance.

The party urged the government to identify the problems Malta was suffering and to act rather than seek excuses.