Brussels, 18/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Commission decided to recommend that the Council close excessive deficit procedure begun on 2 June 2004 against the Netherlands. The Dutch deficit, which was 3.2% at the time, was finally reduced to 2.3% in 2004, one year before the deadline set by the EU finance ministers. The case of the Netherlands shows that budgetary improvements implemented in a determined manner can rapidly bring lasting results, a press release from...