Brussels, 27/08/2012 (Agence Europe) - The experts of the troika (ECB, European Commission, IMF) will be in Lisbon from this Tuesday 28 August, to assess the reforms implemented there under the rescue plan of €78 billion granted to the country in May 2011. Amongst other things, the experts will focus on fiscal developments in 2012 and preparations for the 2013 budget, a European Commission civil servant explained. “They will discuss with the Portuguese authorities the measures needed to achieve the objectives laid down in the programme. The mission will also analyse the measures taken in the context of the memorandum, aiming to increase the efficiency of the public sector in the broader sense and to promote competitiveness and growth”. This includes the restructuring of public companies and reforms of the employment market and the market for goods. Up to now, the experts have always given Lisbon a satisfactory assessment. However, they have pointed out a growing risk related to tax revenue which has materialised since then (see EUROPE 10674). A situation of this kind could force the country to adopt new austerity measures or to revise its objective of bringing its deficit down to 4.5% of GDP for 2012. (SP/transl.fl)