Madrid presses EU to ease deficit targets

Article reported that Spain was pressing the European Commission in February 2012 to ease the country’s strict budget deficit target for 2012, arguing that the European Union executive’s own pessimism about the Spanish economy shows the potential risks of too much austerity.

ESO: Background information: Rajoy warns of more austerity for Spain http://www.europeansources.info/record/rajoy-warns-of-more-austerity-for-spain/

El País, 23.2.12: Brussels to talk with Spain on new budget deficit target http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/02/23/inenglish/1330010254_777607.html

El País, 23.2.12: Nation's wealth gap widens as economic crisis grinds on http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/02/23/inenglish/1329999322_882593.html

European Commission: DG Economic and Financial Affairs: EU Economic situation: Economies of the EU Member States: Spain http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/eu/countries/spain_en.htm

EUObserver, 24.2.12: Recession-marred Spain pushing for an ease in deficit targets http://euobserver.com/19/115362

EUObserver, 28.2.12: Spain to test beefed-up EU budget rules http://euobserver.com/19/115409

El País, 28.2.12: Spain flexes muscles in tug-of-war with Brussels over deficit target http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/02/28/inenglish/1330457220_494748.html

El País, 28.2.12: Deficit last year well over two points above target http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/02/27/inenglish/1330372249_710505.html

El País, 1.3.12: Rajoy sets out to persuade Europe to cut Spain some slack on its deficit target http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/03/01/inenglish/1330626150_731877.html

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