EU to reprimand UK spending

The European Commission is set to trigger legal action against the UK over an excessive budget deficit, pressing London to cut the deficit below the EU's 3 percent of GDP limit by March next year.

But the legal action would amount to no more than a public reprimand as EU fines in this area are limited to eurozone members.

In a draft report to be adopted on Wednesday (11 January), seen by EUobserver, the commission concludes that "an excessive deficit exists in the United Kingdom,"...