12/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, a Commission spokeswoman told press that Eurostat was continuing to assess the deficit and national debt of the 25 Member States for 2005. Once confirmed by the European Statistics Office, definitive statistics will be announced on 24 April, she added. The Commission made an assessment of the first figures for last year when it examined the up-dated stability and convergence programmes (see EUROPE 9107, 9122, 9137 and 9142).