In December 2011 compared with November 2011, the euro area (EA17) industrial new orders index rose by 1.9%, after a fall of 1.1% in November. In the EU27 new orders increased by 1.3% in December 2011, after a decrease of 1.2% in November. Excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment, for which changes tend to be more volatile, industrial new orders gained 2.5% in the euro area and 2.6% in the EU27.

In December 2011 compared with December 2010, industrial new orders decreased by 1.7% in both zones. Total industry excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment fell by 0.8% in the euro area, but rose by 0.9% in the EU27.

Compared with 2010, the average new orders index for 2011 increased by 8.3% in the euro area and by 7.6% in the EU27.

These estimates are released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.