In previous quarters the analysts of the EBI Construction Activity Report broadly discussed the negative effects of the pandemic on Hungary’s construction industry. The latest figures also suggest that there is still no improvement in the sector after a weak first half of the year.

It’s at last becoming possible to assess the consequences for Croatia’s construction sector of the country’s July 2020 elections. Jockeying for governmental positions, COVID-19- and tourism-season-related priorities and other pressing matters prevented the new Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) led government from moving on its larger agenda until recently. Now, though, the political picture, and the impact of the elections on Croatia’s construction sector, is getting clearer, according to a report by the Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association.

The Polish economy is already past the low point of the short-term economic activity downturn. However, the construction industry is not at this point yet as it responds to economic shocks after a certain time period. This is why the first half of 2021 will be marked by challenges. The market pins its hopes on the new EU financial envelope, but a tangible effect on the investment volume will not become apparent before H2 2021.

The amendment to the Construction Law in Poland came into force on 19 September. Changes include a division of project documentation, organization of the provisions which specify what works require a building permit, and legislation on unauthorized construction, and in the opinion of experts from JLL, ought to be of benefit to investors, developers and construction companies operating on the Polish market.

Unusually, due to the current situation, Euroconstruct has issued an interim forecast which is a revision of the June construction market forecast. The results have been summarised by János Gáspár, head of Euroconstruct's Hungarian research institute, Buildecon.

The construction sector in Bulgaria, and building construction in particular, was not affected as hard as others by the COVID-19 crisis, according to a report by the Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association.

Speedwell has designated Bog’Art as the general contractor in charge of Miro, the company’s newest office project located in the Băneasa area of Bucharest. Miro project will offer its tenants 23,000 sqm of Class A office space spread out over 5 levels. The project has been granted the building permit and works have already started.

Atenor announced that RoseVille, its latest project in Budapest, located on Bécsi Road of District III has received the final building permit. The developer acquired the 6,604 sqm plot at 68-84 Bécsi Road last spring to build a 15,000 sqm Class A+ office building there.

Manufacturers of concrete products in Poland will be able to generate a little over PLN 9bn in revenue in 2019 in spite of slower construction activity, according to the findings presented in the latest report by research company Spectis.

When assessing the first quarter of 2020, analysts of EBI Construction Activity Report Q1 2020 already highlighted the impact of the pandemic on the Hungarian construction industry. Back then, they did it with the help of a forecast based on limited available data, but since then actual data have been released and the impact of the pandemic on the sector can be assessed in detail.