In its latest business and consumer survey, the Commission said confidence in the industry sector improved 0.7 points in August to minus 3.8.
However, retail trade confidence fell to 5.1 points from 9.8 points, and construction confidence lost 2.1 points to minus 23.2. Confidence in the services sector decreased to 0.7 points in August, from 4.4 points a month earlier.
Consumer confidence dropped to minus 37.4 points, from minus 30.7 points in July.
In the EU, economic sentiment decreased by 2 points to 87 in August, and by 1.8 points to 86.1 in the euro area.