The European Commission has let Portugal and Spain off the hook on fiscal targets, partly for fear of aggravating euroscepticism.
Both countries have repeatedly broken EU pacts to keep their budget deficits below 3 percent of GDP, giving the commission the right to propose a fine of up to 0.2 percent of GDP or to withhold payments from the EU budget.
But on Wednesday (27 July) it recommended that there should be no fines, while leaving the final decision to member states.
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Already a member? Login hereAndrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.
Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.