01/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - Excessive debt procedure: analysis to focus on medium-term viability of budgetary consolidation. On Friday 1 March, the European Commission indicated that a possible decision closing excessive deficit procedures against Italy would be made on the basis of how sustainable its efforts are to clean up public finances in structural terms (irrespective of the effects of the economic situation) for the 2012-2014 period. This decision will not be taken until the the statistical office of the European Union has provided notification of member states' 2012 budget data, in the middle of April. The Italian statistics office has indicated that Italy's public deficit reached 3% of national GDP in 2012. (MB/transl.fl)