(5) | Based on data provided by the Commission (Eurostat) in accordance with Article 8g of Regulation (EC) No 3605/93 following the notification by Cyprus before 1 April 2006 and on the Commission services' Spring 2006 forecast, the following conclusions are warranted:
— | the general government deficit was reduced from 4,1 % of GDP in 2004 to 2,4 % of GDP in 2005, which is below the 3 % of GDP deficit reference value. This compares with a target of 2,9 % of GDP set in the May 2004 update of the convergence programme and with the 2,5 % target of the latest Convergence Programme update of December 2005. The reduction below the reference value in 2005 is in line with the recommendation under Article 104(7) of the Treaty. Fiscal adjustment was pursued in 2005 through both revenue increases and expenditure restraint. Although some one-off measures helped reduce the deficit, the budgetary consolidation in Cyprus was achieved mainly through structural measures. The structural deficit (the cyclically adjusted deficit net of one-off and other temporary measures) fell to 3 % of GDP, compared to almost 5 % and 8 % of GDP in 2004 and 2003 respectively, |
— | for 2006, the Commission services' spring 2006 forecast projects the deficit to be reduced further, to 2,25 % of GDP, largely through measures of a structural nature. This is slightly above the official deficit target of 1,9 % of GDP set in the December 2005 update of the convergence programme. For 2007, the spring forecast projects, on a no-policy-change basis, a further decline in the deficit to 2 % of GDP. This suggests that the deficit has been brought below the 3 % of GDP ceiling in a credible and sustainable manner, as required by the recommendation under Article 104(7), |
— | Government debt declined from 71,75 % of GDP in 2004 to 70,25 % in 2005. According to the Commission services' spring 2006 forecast, the debt ratio is projected to fall further to around 69 % and 68 % of GDP in 2006 and 2007 respectively. The pace of debt reduction towards the 60 % of GDP reference value is in line with the recommendation under Article 104(7). |
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