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France will meet deficit reduction targets: PM

Prime Minister Francois Fillon insisted on Monday that France will meet its pledges to bring its public deficit back within EU limits.

France will meet deficit reduction targets: PM
EPP (File)

“I want to reassure the European Commission that our promises will be met,” Fillon said during a visit to a factory in western France.

Last week the French government announced €7 billion ($9.5 billion) in cuts or new revenue to the budget, following a €12-billion austerity plan announced in August.

Overall the government announced €65 billion in cuts and tax rises through 2015 to clean up France’s books and preserve its precious “AAA” credit rating.

France is trying to reduce its public deficit from 5.7 percent of gross domestic product this year to 4.5 percent in 2012. It is hoping to reach the European Union limit of 3.0 percent in 2013 and balance the budget in 2016.

However, in its latest forecasts issued last week the European Commission said France risks having its public deficit come in at 5.1 percent in 2013 instead of the 3.0 percent target unless measures beyond those announced are taken.

He said the 2012 budget has 6.0 billion euros in reserve to help make sure it makes the deficit reduction target if growth falls below the 1.0 percent it is forecasting.

The European Commission forecast 0.6 percent growth for France next year.

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COVID-19

Court turns down AfD-led challenge to Germany’s spending in pandemic

The German Constitutional Court rejected challenges Tuesday to Berlin's participation in the European Union's coronavirus recovery fund, but expressed some reservations about the massive package.

Court turns down AfD-led challenge to Germany's spending in pandemic

Germany last year ratified the €750-billion ($790-billion) fund, which offers loans and grants to EU countries hit hardest by the pandemic.

The court in Karlsruhe ruled on two challenges, one submitted by a former founder of the far-right AfD party, and the other by a businessman.

They argued the fund could ultimately lead to Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, having to take on the debts of other EU member states on a permanent basis.

But the Constitutional Court judges ruled the EU measure does not violate Germany’s Basic Law, which forbids the government from sharing other countries’ debts.

READ ALSO: Germany plans return to debt-limit rules in 2023

The judgement noted the government had stressed that the plan was “intended to be a one-time instrument in reaction to an unprecedented crisis”.

It also noted that the German parliament retains “sufficient influence in the decision-making process as to how the funds provided will be used”.

The judges, who ruled six to one against the challenges, did however express some reservations.

They questioned whether paying out such a large amount over the planned period – until 2026 – could really be considered “an exceptional measure” to fight the pandemic.

At least 37 percent of the funds are aimed at achieving climate targets, the judges said, noting it was hard to see a link between combating global warming and the pandemic.

READ ALSO: Germany to fast-track disputed €200 billion energy fund

They also warned against any permanent mechanism that could lead to EU members taking on joint liability over the long term.

Berenberg Bank economist Holger Schmieding said the ruling had “raised serious doubts whether the joint issuance to finance the fund is in line with” EU treaties.

“The German court — once again — emphasised German limits for EU fiscal integration,” he said.

The court had already thrown out a legal challenge, in April 2021, that had initially stopped Berlin from ratifying the financial package.

Along with French President Emmanuel Macron, then chancellor Angela Merkel sketched out the fund in 2020, which eventually was agreed by the EU’s 27 members in December.

The first funds were disbursed in summer 2021, with the most given to Italy and Spain, both hit hard by the pandemic.

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