82nd Euroconstruct Conference: European Construction Market Outlook until 2019 – Austria's Construction Performance is Well Below Euroconstruct Average. Country Report Austria

The 82nd Euroconstruct conference showed weaker economic growth in the forecast period to 2019 within the 19 participating European countries (EC 19). This coupled with Austria's stable economic expansion by 1.7 percent in 2016 helps to reduce the growth gap to 0.1 percentage point compared to the European average. With a sector growth of 1.6 percent in 2016 the Austrian construction sector will perform slightly worse (0.4 percentage points below the European level). Although economic uncertainty continues to negatively affect non-residential building which is still the sector driving the industry in the upcoming years, but with significantly lower dynamics. Housing on the other hand showed a sound performance in the first half of 2016 and the forecasted stable expansion will be supported by public measures in the upcoming years. Only few impulses are expected from civil engineering. This area will profit from a slightly higher investment in transport infrastructure, especially in the area of railway construction. But this will be nearly outbalanced by the weaker performance of energy and water works resulting in overall low growth in civil engineering.