Council Decision
of 7 March 2011
amending Decision 2010/320/EU addressed to Greece with a view to reinforcing and deepening the fiscal surveillance and giving notice to Greece to take measures for the deficit reduction judged necessary to remedy the situation of excessive deficit
(2011/257/EU)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 126(9) and Article 136 thereof,
Having regard to the recommendation from the European Commission,
Whereas:
Article 136(1)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) foresees the possibility of adopting measures specific to the Member States whose currency is the euro with a view to strengthening the coordination and surveillance of their budgetary discipline.
Article 126 TFEU establishes that Member States shall avoid excessive government deficits and sets out the excessive deficit procedure to that effect. The Stability and Growth Pact, which in its corrective arm implements the excessive deficit procedure, provides the framework supporting government policies for a prompt return to sound budgetary positions taking account of the economic situation.
On 27 April 2009, the Council decided, in accordance with Article 104(6) of the Treaty establishing the European Community, that an excessive deficit existed in Greece.
According to the forecast available at the time the Council adopted the Decision, real GDP was expected to contract by 4 % in 2010 and 2½ % in 2011, and recover afterwards, with growth rates of 1,1 % in 2012, and 2,1 % in 2013 and in 2014. GDP deflator was expected to be 1,2 %, – 0,5 %, 1,0 %, 0,7 % and 1,0 % for the years 2010 to 2014, respectively. Given economic developments, real GDP is now expected to contract by 4½ % in 2010 and 3 % in 2011 and recover afterwards with growth rates of 1,1 % in 2012, and 2,1 % in 2013 and in 2014. GDP deflators are now expected to be 3,0 %, 1,6 %, 0,4 %, 0,8 % and 1,2 % from 2010 to 2014, respectively.
On 12 February 2011, Greece submitted to the Council and the Commission a report outlining the policy measures taken to comply with the Decision. The Commission assessed the report and concluded that Greece is satisfactorily complying with the Decision. However, the deficit target for 2011 must not be missed, as happened in 2010.
In light of the above considerations, it appears appropriate to amend the Decision in a number of respects, while keeping unchanged the deadline for the correction of the excessive deficit and the adjustment path for the government deficit and the increase of government debt in nominal terms,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: