Berlin to cut 2003 deficit but fears trouble ahead

In its annual 'stability programme' submission to the European Commission under the terms of the European Union's Stability and Growth Pact, Germany's Finance Ministry said that it would reduce its 2003 budget deficit to well within the rules of the Pact, but admitted its longer-term ambitions to eliminate the deficit were based on optimistic growth expectations.

http://consilium.europa.eu/cms3_fo/showPage.asp?id=250&lang=en&mode=g http://consilium.europa.eu/cms3_fo/showPage.asp?id=250&lang=en&mode=g

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