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« : 16 Февраля 2010, 17:27:40 »
TEXT-EU finance ministers statement on Greece
Tue Feb 16, 2010 8:16am EST
BRUSSELS, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Following are extracts from the text of the statement issued by European Union finance ministers after a meeting on Tuesday to discuss Greece and other issues.
"The Council today:
* gave its opinion on the latest update by Greece of its stability programme, which sets out plans for reducing its government deficit below 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2012;
* adopted a decision giving notice to Greece to remedy its excessive deficit by 2012, setting budgetary consolidation measures according to a specific timetable, including deadlines for reporting on measures taken;
* issued a recommendation to Greece to bring its economic policies into line with the Union's broad economic policy guidelines and remove the risk of jeopardising the proper functioning of economic and monetary union, and adopted a decision to make this recommendation public.
"Greece's updated stability programme sets 2012 as the date for reducing the deficit below the 3% reference value. It sets a target of 8.7% of GDP for its 2010 budgetary deficit, which represents a 4 percentage points reduction from the estimated 12.7% deficit for 2009.
"In its decision, adopted today under article 126(9) of the EU treaty, the Council accepts this schedule. It calls on Greece to ensure a budgetary adjustment of at least 4% GDP in 2010 and to bring its deficit back under 3% in 2012 at the latest.
"The Council sets numerical limits to Greece's government deficits and to annual changes in its consolidated gross debt in 2010, 2011 and 2012. It calls on Greece to implement specific budgetary consolidation measures, including those presented in its stability programme, namely:
* urgent measures to be taken by 15 May 2010;
* supporting measures to safeguard budgetary targets for 2010;
* other measures to be adopted by the end of 2010; and
* other measures to be adopted by 2012.
"The Council also asks Greece to present a report by 16 March 2010 setting out the timetable for implementing budgetary target measures for 2010, and another by 15 May outlining the policy measures needed to comply with the Council's decision. Quarterly reports should be submitted thereafter.
"To the extent that a number of risks, associated with the specified deficit and debt ceilings materialise, Greece shall announce, in the report to be presented by 16 March 2010, additional measures to ensure that the 2010 budgetary target is met.
"In its recommendation, adopted in accordance with article 121(4) of the treaty, the Council finds that Greece's policies are not in line with the country-specific recommendation it issued under the broad economic policy guidelines (recommendation 2009/531/EC).
"In that recommendation, it had noted that it was "imperative to intensify efforts to address the macro-economic imbalances and structural weaknesses of the Greek economy".
"The Council therefore calls on Greece to design and implement as soon as possible, starting in 2010, a bold and comprehensive structural reform package. It sets out specific measures, covering wages, pension reform, healthcare reforms, public administrations, the product market, the business environment, productivity and employment growth."