Brussels, 30/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday the European Commission adopted its recommendation on Austria's updated stability programme (2003-2007) in which it expresses concern at the increase in Austria's public deficit and public debt. Only the growth forecasts seem plausible to the Commission (up to 2.5% in 2005). It believed the forecast budget changes only partly comply with the Stability and Growth Pact and calls on Austria to return to budget equilibrium as soon as possible. Research and maintaining budget equilibrium are the two main focuses of Austria's economic policy under the former government, points out the Commission, noting that the new government seems to have abandoned this objective. Austria is predicting a rise in its deficit to 1.3% of GDP in 2003, a temporary improvement in 2004, a 1.5% increase in 2005 because of lower income tax revenue, a cut to 1.1% in 2006 and 0.4% in 2007. The changes in the structural deficit appear comparable to the changes in the nominal deficit. The public debt has been sharply revised up with a debt to GDP ratio of nearly 68% in 2002. Austria does not expect to cut its public debt to below 60% until 2007.