France and Britain face EU censure on budgets

The Guardian says EU monetary affairs chief Joaquín Almunia is preparing to launch proceedings against Britain, which, according to the Independent, will be the only country among the 27 member states that will find itself in this position when measures are launched in June.

But the paper goes on to say that because the UK is not in the eurozone, any disciplinary powers are merely “theoretical”.

Almunia made the comments as he launched the EU's spring economic forecast on Monday.

The Telegraph says the commission has put Britain’s economic growth at only 1.7 per cent this year, well below chancellor Alistair Darling’s budget forecast of two per cent.

Meanwhile, Le Figaro reports that Brussels estimates France's public deficit to be 2.9 per cent of GDP for 2008, and to hit three per cent by 2009.

France's disappointing economic growth, insufficient structural reforms and public finances are "the most preoccupying in the EU", according to Almunia.

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