Brussels, 20/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission will on Wednesday examine Portugal's stability programme and the report by the Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia on the Portuguese budgetary situation. At the end of May the Portuguese government acknowledged that the deficit figures for 2005 would be slightly higher than the Commission forecast, reaching a record level of 6.83% of GDP (EUROPE 8953), and the budgetary data for 2004 should also be revised upwards following discussions between Eurostat and the Portuguese authorities. To take account of these revisions, Lisbon has postponed sending its updated pluri-annual programme, after those of the 24 other Member States which the Commission has already analysed. As in the case of Italy on 7 June (EUROPE 8963), the report on Portugal's deficit will first be sent to the Economic and Financial Committee before the Commission declares whether there is an excessive deficit or not