Industrial production in the 12-nation euro zone rose 0.5 per cent in March over February despite weaker activity in Germany, the region's largest economy, the Eurostat statistics institute reported yesterday.

In the full 15-member European Union, the euro zone plus Britain, Denmark and Sweden, output advanced 0.1 per cent in March over February.

The March rise in euro-zone industrial production followed weaker increases of 0.1 per cent in February and 0.3 per cent in January. Output was up 0.2 per cent in February and 0.1 per cent in January in the European Union.

The sharpest jump in March was in Ireland, where production surged 16.6 per cent, followed by the Netherlands, 2.7 per cent, Finland, 1.7 per cent and Denmark 1.2 per cent.

Output in Germany declined 0.3 per cent and was down 0.7 per cent in Italy. From March 2001 to March 2002 industrial output fell 2.9 per cent in the euro zone and 3.5 per cent in the European Union.