26/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - Doubts about end of excessive deficit procedure. The announcement by the outgoing Italian government that it would be returning €40 billion in payment arrears to Italian companies in 2013 and 2014 might have a negative impact on the end of excessive deficit proceedings against Italy, which the European Commission, in its Winter Economic Forecasts, said might be possible (see EUROPE 10792). Italy says the new measures will increase the Italian deficit for 2013 from 2.4% to 2.9%, a situation the Commission considers close to the bone, the Italian media have suggesedt. The Commission says that it is only possible to end the excessive deficit proceedings when a country demonstrates its ability to keep its public deficit substantially lower than 3% of GDP for a sustained period of time. (MB/transl.fl)