17/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - Next Wednesday, the Commission will assess a last series of stability and convergence programmes for 11 Member States (France, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Greece, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom, Malta, Lithuania and Cyprus). The previous studies (EUROPE 9107 and 9122) had been to the satisfaction of the Commission, which will now be tackling several Member States in excessive deficit situation, including France, for which reactivation of the procedure is on the table. After talks between Thierry Breton and Joaquin Almunia, it would seem that Paris managed to maintain its 3% deficit in 2005 but caution is needed for French public finance in 2006 (EUROPE 9116). The German and Polish programmes will be examined at a later date.