01/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - Whilst Monday's Le Figaro was anticipating that "without a major 'coup de théâtre, France would on 1 September have to notify the Commission of "its new state deficit forecast for 2003, equivalent to 4% of gross domestic product", German Finance Minister Hans Eichel indicated that the German state deficit would be 3.8% this year, which is above the 3% ceiling imposed by the Stability Pact. In an interview with the Welt am Sonntag, Mr Eichel said that, if the...