in recent several years vs during recent several years

Some examples from the web:

• In recent years several rulings have been made under Danish labour law ordering East European firms to pay compensation to employees in Denmark.
• In recent years several Member States have developed initiatives for better cooperation between the counter-terrorism coordination structures.
• In recent years several European Union bodies have been the target of cyber-attacks.
• Indeed, the main difficulties experienced in recent years in several countries largely derive from the fact that budgetary adjustment stopped after entry in EMU, especially in Germany, France and Italy.
• For its part, the EESC has in recent years presented several opinions on EU-Russia relations, in which it addressed also the functioning of Russian civil society.
• Breath alcohol ignition interlock devices have been used in recent years in several US states, Canada and Australia and sales continue to rise.
• In recent years several things were achieved for the first time in history: the European Commission's role as a representative of the Community as well as common representation of Europe's 25 or 27 Member States in UNESCO are the results of a certain cultural maturity.
• whereas homelessness represents one of the most extreme forms of poverty and deprivation, and has increased in recent years in several EU Member States;
• B. whereas homelessness represents one of the most extreme forms of poverty and deprivation, and has increased in recent years in several EU Member States;
• In its response, STECF considers that a more recent year or a rolling reference period based on several recent years, would be preferable and deems that the effects of this change on the amount of effort deployed in the fishery should be negligible.
• author. - Mr President, without going into the underlying causes, over recent years several countries have been suffering serious natural disasters.
• It is generally agreed that maintaining a substantial growth rate over several years (cf. 7.1.2) requires an investment rate ranging from 22 to 25 % of GDP, whereas it has been no more than 15 % in recent years.
• Several of those foreign businesses were loss-making in recent years.
• This blocking of traffic between the two countries has happened several times in recent years.
• The disadvantage of such Conventions in terms of flexibility and effectiveness is the need for ratification by all the Member States, which as recent experience shows can take several years.
• Nor should be forget that the problem linked to the ageing of existing nuclear power stations is dealt with in depth by the rapporteur in the light of recent technological progress which stems from research begun several years ago.
• Several reports on the Lisbon Strategy and specific aspects of it have been published by the Committee in recent years.
• The Commission has paid special attention to protecting young people, because in several Member States problems due to the drinking of alcohol by children and adolescents have risen in recent years.
• Several headline events have piqued concern about extreme weather disasters in recent years.
• In this way, we are repeating, at a European level, the mistakes which several countries have made in recent years.

Some examples from the web:

• Several years later production stopped at the factory.
• For several years, jellyfish have plagued Mediterranean coastlines.
• This takes by nature several years.
• Alfred and Miss Susannah were married several years ago.
• Spousal privilege extends for several years before marriage.
• I was Professor Pickles with Ringling Brothers for several years.
• However, implementation is now running several years late.
• Contracts span several years, Commissioner.
• So the enlargement process will last several years.
• During recent months the euro has strengthened against the dollar.
• Excessive rainfall during recent years has caused severe flooding in Bulgaria and in its southern neighbours.
• Trade volumes between Asian countries and EU member states have multiplied during recent years.
• During recent months we have been witnessing intense maritime piracy activity and several cases of ship seizures.
• During recent months previously privatised ports have been renationalised without any compensation paid to the owners concerned.
• There are no indications that this should have changed during recent years.
• They have been particularly important during recent difficult economic times.
• Consumer policy has achieved a much higher profile within the EC institutions during recent years (Article 153 of the Treaty).
• During recent hot and dry summers also the issue of sufficient availability of cooling water from rivers to condensing power plants has caught attention.
• With the increase in the number of Member States during recent years, many European Union institutions have been confronted with substantial challenges.
• Pilot projects on electronic recording and reporting as well as on remote sensing have been carried out during recent years by Member States and other countries.