(Brussels) – Today, the European Commission, as explained by commissioners Dombrovskis and Moscovici, has taken measures under the Stability and Growth Pact. In this sense, the EU Executive “recommends the EU Council to close the procedure for excessive deficits against Cyprus, Ireland and Slovenia, since in 2015 these countries have reduced their deficits to under the limit of 3% of the GDP, as laid down in the Treaty, and such adjustment is expected to last”. If the EU Council decides to close the procedure, then the overall number of member states under procedure would drop to six (Croatia, France, Greece, Portugal, Spain and UK) from 24 member states in spring 2011. Then, the EU Commission speaks of Italy, Belgium and Finland too: “Even if these member states seem to be deviating from the max debt limit” (60% of GDP), a review of the relevant factors “seems to show that the Stability and Growth Pact is currently abided by”. As to Italy, “the EU Commission will look into the relevant factors again in a new report in November, when further information is available about the resumption of the adjustment to the 2017 target budget”. As to Portugal and Spain, the EU Commission tells the EU Council to recommend “a lasting correction of the excessive deficit in 2016 and 2017, through the requisite structural measures”. A new test for Madrid and Lisbon in July.