Brussels, 13/11/2003 (Agence Europe) - Next Tuesday the European Commission will examine during its weekly meeting, a new recommendation on Germany's excessive deficit, indicated Gerrassimos Thomas the European Commission Spokesman in charge of economic and monetary affairs for Pedro Solbes, on Thursday. The spokesman explained that Mr Solbes intended to advance by outlining a procedure according to Articles 104.8 and 104.9 of the Stability Pact. Mr Thomas declared that this would involve the same procedure as that used against France. He pointed out that the two countries would be treated in the same way, which did not mean that the content of the recommendation addressed to Germany would be the same as that sent to France. This Commission recommendation will be on the Ecofin Council agenda for 24-25 November and asks Paris to made additional budgetary efforts for 2004 in exchange for a return to public deficits under the 3% threshold in 2005. If the recommendation to Germany is adopted by the College on the 18, it would also be submitted to the next Ecofin. Berlin's deficit already went above the 3% limit in 2002 and is not expected to be able to go below this threshold this year or in 2004. Last January, Ecofin began an excessive deficit procedure but the Commission considered in May that the measures taken by the German government to deal with public finance were insufficient. It also indicated that Germany is expected to go below the 3% level in 2004 (which now appears impossible).
Reacting to the announcement of the Commission for a new recommendation, a spokesman from the German Ministry of Finance called on the Commission to "demonstrate prudence and moderation in a way that formulates possible measures to take against German y and France".