Brussels, 16/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - In an opinion on the budgetary situation in Portugal sent to the ECOFIN Council on Wednesday, the European Commission confirmed that an excessive deficit exists in the country. It is calling on Economy and Finance Ministers (during their meeting of 5 November) to ask Portugal to adopt and implement, before 5 March 2003, all the necessary measures in order to ensure that the general government deficit is reduced to clearly below 3% of GDP in 2003 and...