Eurostat’s latest estimates show that seasonally adjusted industrial production fell by -0.1% in the euro area and -0.3% in the EU in July 2026, compared with June. This follows a -0.1% decline in both areas in June.
On an annual basis, production was unchanged in the euro area and +0.3% higher in the EU compared with July 2025.
Monthly figures can be volatile, so the broader trend is more useful. Between February to April and May to July 2026, total industrial production increased by around +0.4% in the euro area and +0.5% in the EU, pointing to modest underlying growth.
For the machinery and industrial equipment market, capital goods provide a useful comparison. Capital goods output increased by +0.5% in the euro area and +0.3% in the EU in July, following declines in June. The annual picture was stronger, with capital goods output +1.7% higher in the euro area and +2.4% higher in the EU than a year earlier.
Manufacturing accounts for the largest share of industrial production, although the overall index also includes mining, energy and utilities. This makes direct comparisons with UK manufacturing data less straightforward, but the capital goods series provides a useful indication of activity in markets relevant to machinery and industrial equipment.
Performance across Member States remained mixed. Compared with July 2025, industrial production increased in 12 of the 26 Member States, while 13 recorded declines and Italy was unchanged. The strongest annual increases were in the Netherlands (+8.2%), Croatia (+7.2%) and Lithuania (+6.5%), while the largest falls were in Bulgaria (-6.8%), Romania (-6.3%) and Belgium (-5.6%).
Overall, the latest data suggest that European industrial activity remains subdued but is showing modest signs of stabilisation, with capital goods performing somewhat better than the wider industrial sector.
You can get the full details from the Eurostat News Release which can be downloaded from their website at https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/news/euro-indicators (16 September) or requested from MTA.