CUADROS DE PRECIOS

In 2010, the slight improvement in budgetary positions in the euro area was entirely the result of a lower expenditure-to-GDP ratio which was mainly due to lower public investment. This is shown in Table I.1.4, which also shows that the

revenue ratio remained stable overall between 2009 and 2010, while expenditure fell. Somewhat higher than expected growth alongside some consolidation measures contributed to this pattern. Table I.1.5 shows the expenditure and revenue ratios for all EU countries and shows, that according to the Commission services' Spring 2011 Economic Forecast, the expenditure ratio in the euro area will continue to decrease over the forecast horizon, while the revenue ratio will increase only very little. On the revenue side in particular, composition effects are expected to be small.

The improvement on the expenditure side of the budget in 2010 explains the improvement of structural balances over the forecast horizon in most Member States. The improvement in the balance is only partly explained by the reduced operation of automatic stabilisers, and much of it consists of the withdrawal of discretionary measures.

Overall Member States budgetary plans for 2011 and 2012 have still been compiled against a background of uncertainty and continue to exhibit various risks, on both the revenue and expenditure sides. (4)

(4_{) See Part I.3 of this report.}

Table I.1.4: Euro Area – Government revenue and expenditures (% of GDP)

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Total revenue 45.3 44.9 44.5 44.5 44.9 44.9

Taxes on imports and production (indirect) 13.5 13.0 12.8 13.0 13.1 13.1

Current taxes on income and wealth 12.4 12.2 11.4 11.3 11.5 11.6

Social contributions 15.1 15.3 15.7 15.6 15.6 15.5

of which actual social contributions 14.0 14.2 14.5 14.4 14.4 14.4

Other revenue 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.7 4.7

Total expenditure 46.0 47.0 50.8 50.5 49.2 48.5

Collective consumption 7.9 8.1 8.7 8.6 8.4 8.3

Social benefits in kind 12.1 12.4 13.4 13.3 13.0 12.8

Social transfers other than in kind 15.8 16.1 17.7 17.8 17.6 17.3

Interest 3.0 3.0 2.8 2.8 3.0 3.2

Subsidies 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.4 1.3 1.3

Gross fixed capital formation 2.6 2.6 2.8 2.5 2.3 2.2

Other expenditures 3.4 3.5 4.0 4.1 3.5 3.5

Notes: Differences between the sum and the total of individual items are due to rounding.

European Commission Public finances in EMU - 2011

28

Table I.1.5: Government revenue and expenditure (% of GDP)

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 DK 55.2 55.6 55.3 53.4 53.6 51.9 58.3 58.0 57.5 56.8 EE 37.0 43.4 40.1 39.2 38.0 39.9 45.1 40.0 39.8 40.4 IE 35.5 33.9 34.6 35.0 35.1 42.8 48.2 67.0 45.5 43.9 EL 39.9 37.3 39.1 40.2 40.2 49.6 52.7 49.6 49.7 49.5 ES 37.1 34.7 35.7 36.5 36.7 41.3 45.8 45.0 42.9 42.0 FR 49.5 48.7 49.2 50.1 50.1 52.8 56.2 56.2 55.8 55.4 LT 34.1 34.5 34.2 33.5 33.5 37.4 44.0 41.2 39.0 38.3 MT 39.0 39.5 38.7 39.7 39.4 43.5 43.2 42.3 42.7 42.4 NL 46.6 45.9 45.9 46.5 47.1 46.0 51.4 51.3 50.2 49.4 PL 39.5 37.2 37.8 40.0 40.1 43.2 44.5 45.7 45.8 43.7 RO 32.6 32.1 34.3 34.1 34.5 38.3 40.6 40.8 38.8 38.1 SK 32.9 33.6 33.1 33.6 32.9 35.0 41.5 41.0 38.8 37.4 HU 45.2 46.1 44.6 52.0 42.0 48.9 50.6 48.8 50.4 45.3 IT 46.1 46.5 46.0 45.9 46.1 48.9 51.9 50.6 49.9 49.2 SI 42.3 43.1 43.4 43.3 43.1 44.1 49.0 49.0 49.1 48.1 UK 42.5 40.2 40.6 41.2 41.6 46.3 47.3 48.3 49.3 50.3 BE 48.8 48.1 48.9 49.3 49.4 50.1 54.0 53.0 53.1 53.6 BG 39.3 36.0 34.5 34.7 35.0 37.6 40.7 37.7 37.4 36.6 CZ 40.2 40.1 40.5 41.2 41.2 42.9 46.0 45.2 45.6 45.2 DE 43.9 44.5 43.3 43.3 43.2 43.8 47.5 46.6 45.3 44.3 CY 42.6 39.8 41.3 41.0 41.0 41.7 45.8 46.6 46.1 45.9 LV 34.6 34.6 35.2 36.9 36.5 38.8 44.2 42.9 41.4 40.4 LU 39.8 41.3 39.5 39.3 39.0 36.9 42.2 41.2 40.3 40.1 AT 48.3 48.8 48.3 48.7 48.7 49.2 52.9 53.0 52.4 52.0 PT 41.1 39.7 41.5 41.8 42.4 44.6 49.8 50.7 47.7 46.9 FI 53.5 53.4 52.3 52.8 52.9 49.3 56.0 54.8 53.7 53.5 SE 53.9 54.2 52.7 52.4 52.7 51.7 54.9 52.7 51.5 50.6 EA-17 44.9 44.5 44.5 44.9 44.9 47.0 50.8 50.5 49.2 48.5 EU-27 44.6 44.0 44.0 44.5 44.5 46.9 50.8 50.3 49.1 48.3 Revenue Expenditure

Part I Current developments and prospects

Box I.1.3: The meeting of the Euro Area Heads of State or Government of 21 July 2011: main decisions

The summit of the euro area Heads of State or Government reaffirmed the commitment to the euro and to do whatever is needed to ensure the financial stability of the euro area as a whole and of its Member States. As to Greece, a new programme was endorsed which, including the contribution of the IMF and the voluntary contribution of the private sector, would fully cover the financing gap until 2014 included. The total official financing would amount to an estimated 109 billion euro. This programme would decisively improve the debt sustainability and refinancing profile of Greece, notably through extended maturities and lower interest rates. Specifically, the maturity of future EFSF loans to Greece would be lengthened to the maximum possible, to a range between 15 and 30 years, while the maturities of the existing Greek facility would be extended substantially. The loans will be provided at lending rates equivalent to those of the Balance of Payments facility (currently around 3.5%), close to the EFSF funding cost. The summit took note of the willingness of the financial sector to support Greece on a voluntary basis through a menu of options, its net contribution being estimated at 37 billion euro. In addition, a debt buy-back programme would contribute up to 12.6 billion euro, bringing the total private sector contribution to 50 billion euro Credit enhancement would also be provided to underpin the quality of collateral, so as to allow its continued use for access to Eurosystem liquidity operations by Greek banks. Adequate resources will be provided to recapitalise Greek banks if needed. A comprehensive strategy for growth and investment in Greece was also called for, involving the mobilisation of EU funds and institutions such as the EIB. In this connection the Commission announced the creation of a Task Force working with the Greek authorities to target the structural funds on competitiveness and growth, job creation and training. Exceptional technical assistance would be provided by the Commission and Member States to help Greece implement its reforms. .

Regarding private sector involvement more generally, at the same time the summit made clear that the approach taken in the case of Greece was exceptional and all other euro countries solemnly reaffirmed their inflexible determination to honour fully their own individual sovereign signature and all their commitments to sustainable fiscal conditions and structural reforms.

As to the stabilisation tools, in order to improve the effectiveness of the EFSF and of the ESM and to address contagion, it was agreed to increase their flexibility linked to appropriate conditionality, allowing them to:

- act on the basis of a precautionary programme;

- finance recapitalisation of financial institutions through loans to governments including in non-programme countries;

- intervene in the secondary markets on the basis of an ECB analysis recognising the existence of exceptional financial market circumstances and risks to financial stability and on the basis of a decision by mutual agreement of the EFSF/ESM Member States, to avoid contagion.

Where appropriate, a collateral arrangement will be put in place so as to cover the risk arising to euro area Member States from their guarantees to the EFSF.

Regarding fiscal consolidation and growth more broadly, Ireland's and Portugal's resolve to implement their programmes was welcomed and it was decided to apply the EFSF lending rates and maturities agreed upon for Greece also to these two countries. Heads of State and Government re-iterated earlier commitments to fiscal targets and to growth-enhancing reforms. Finally, the Commission and the EIB were invited to enhance the synergies between loan programmes and EU funds in all countries under EU/IMF assistance, including through a temporary increase in co-financing rates, in order to stimulate growth and employment.