Brussels, 30/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 30 November 2011, European finance ministers welcomed the agreement reached in Belgium last weekend to help the country meet its commitment to reduce its public deficit to below 3% of GDP next year (see EUROPE 10504). After a meeting of Eurogroup on Tuesday evening, Luxembourg's prime minister and chair of Eurogroup, Jean-Claude Juncker, said that the ministers had been very positive about the new budget, joking that one usually had a government before getting a budget, but in Belgium it was the other way round. EU Commissioner for the Euro Olli Rehn praised the detailed agreement reached by the six Belgian political parties negotiating a coalition government under French-speaking socialist leader Elio Di Rupo. Rehn said the budget deal was a step in the right direction, although the Commission has yet to pick over it with a fine toothcomb. (MB/transl.fl)