Brussels, 16/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - As signs of recovery begin to appear, with the end of the sharp drop in activity, stabilisation of financial markets and an upswing in confidence, EU finance ministers will set down on paper the principles that will guide their budgetary exit strategy. In conclusions to be adopted at the Ecofin Council on Tuesday 20 October, EU member states will undertake to agree a coordinated strategy on withdrawing general incentive policies from 2011 at the latest. The conclusions, which are likely to be approved without any real debate, will provide for: - coordination among countries within the framework of the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP); - the timely withdrawal of budgetary incentives: so long as the recovery continues and self-sustains, consolidation of public finances in all member states should begin in 2011 at the latest, the text says, and it goes on to say that account should be taken of the specific situations of the various countries, which, for a number, should have been previously consolidated; - the rate of consolidation of public finances should be ambitious and go well beyond 0.5% of GDP per year in most member states; - the exit strategy should be accompanied by measures to support the long-term viability of public finances and intensification of structural reforms in order to increase productivity and promote long-term investment. The conclusions hope that these points will be properly taken into account in the next stability and convergence programmes that member states will submit to the Commission at the end of January 2010. (A.B./transl.rt)