Business and Consumer Surveys

The Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN) conducts regular harmonised surveys for different sectors of the economies in the European Union (EU) and the applicant countries. They are addressed to representatives of the construction, industry (manufacturing), retail trade and services sectors, as well as to consumers. These surveys allow comparisons among different countries' business cycles and have become an indispensable tool for monitoring the evolution of the EU and the euro area economies, as well as monitoring developments in the applicant countries.