Brussels, 21/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 21 September, the European Commission denied rumours that the structural reforms to be announced by the Spanish government on Thursday will be conditions laid down in return for the prospects of a second bailout to reduce the cost of rolling over Spanish debt (see EUROPE 10689). The measures have nothing to do with any “proto-programme”, said a spokesperson for Euro Commissioner Olli Rehn, using a term coined by the Financial Times. The spokesperson said the measures are changes made to the Spanish reform programme to take account of the country-specific budget and macroeconomic recommendations that the European Summit endorsed in June (see EUROPE 10645) and to which the Spanish government had pledged in July in a Memorandum of Understanding on the bailout of Spanish banks through a loan of up to €100 billion. In this connection, it is standard practice for the Commission to be in close cooperation with the Spanish authorities and consulted before next week's measures are introduced, said Rehn's spokesperson, adding that the measures will help make the Spanish economy more competitive. (MB/transl.fl)