CHAPTER ISUBJECT MATTER, SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS

Article 1Subject matter and scope

1.

This Regulation sets out a system of sanctions for enhancing the enforcement of the preventive and corrective parts of the Stability and Growth Pact in the euro area.

2.

This Regulation shall apply to Member States whose currency is the euro.

Article 2Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions apply:

  1. (1)

    ‘preventive part of the Stability and Growth Pact’ means the multilateral surveillance system as organised by Regulation (EC) No 1466/97;

  2. (2)

    ‘corrective part of the Stability and Growth Pact’ means the procedure for the avoidance of Member States’ excessive deficit as regulated by Article 126 TFEU and Regulation (EC) No 1467/97;

  3. (3)

    ‘exceptional economic circumstances’ means circumstances where an excess of a government deficit over the reference value is considered exceptional within the meaning of the second indent of point (a) of Article 126(2) TFEU and as specified in Regulation (EC) No 1467/97.