Brussels, 26/07/2002 (Agence Europe) - For the first time in the history of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), Commissioner Pedro Solbes announced on Thursday that his department was beginning the "excessive budget deficit procedure" against Portugal, following Lisbon's official confirmation of a public deficit of 4.1% in 2001, well above the 3% ceiling stipulated in the Treaties and the Stability and Growth Pact (and 2% higher than predicted by the previous Portuguese government in its...