HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"L 110/26
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
29.4.2011
DECISIONS
COUNCIL DECISION
of 7 March 2011
amending Decision 2010/320/EU addressed to Greece with a view to reinforcing and deepening the
fiscal surveillance and giving notice to Greece to take measures for the deficit reduction judged
necessary to remedy the situation of excessive deficit
(2011/257/EU)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
EUR 17 065 million in 2011, EUR 14 916 million in
2012, EUR 11 399 million in 2013 and EUR 6 385
million in 2014.
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European
Union, and in particular Article 126(9) and Article 136 thereof,
(5) According to the forecast available at the time the
Council adopted the Decision, real GDP was expected
Having regard to the recommendation from the European
to contract by 4 % in 2010 and 2 % in 2011, and
Commission,
recover afterwards, with growth rates of 1,1 % in 2012,
and 2,1 % in 2013 and in 2014. GDP deflator was
expected to be 1,2 %, – 0,5 %, 1,0 %, 0,7 % and 1,0 %
Whereas:
for the years 2010 to 2014, respectively. Given
economic developments, real GDP is now expected to
contract by 4 % in 2010 and 3 % in 2011 and
recover afterwards with growth rates of 1,1 % in 2012,
(1)
Article 136(1)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the
and 2,1 % in 2013 and in 2014. GDP deflators are now
European Union (TFEU) foresees the possibility of
expected to be 3,0 %, 1,6 %, 0,4 %, 0,8 % and 1,2 %
adopting measures specific to the Member States whose
from 2010 to 2014, respectively.
currency is the euro with a view to strengthening the
coordination and surveillance of their budgetary
discipline.
(6) On
12
February
2011,
Greece
submitted
to
the
Council
and the Commission a report outlining the policy
measures taken to comply with the Decision. The
(2) Article
126
TFEU
establishes
that
Member
States
shall
Commission assessed the report and concluded that
avoid excessive government deficits and sets out the
Greece is satisfactorily complying with the Decision.
excessive deficit procedure to that effect. The Stability
However, the deficit target for 2011 must not be
and Growth Pact, which in its corrective arm implements
missed, as happened in 2010.
the excessive deficit procedure, provides the framework

supporting government policies for a prompt return to
sound budgetary positions taking account of the
economic situation.
(7) In
light
of
the
above
considerations,
it
appears
appro
priate to amend the Decision in a number of respects,
while keeping unchanged the deadline for the correction
of the excessive deficit and the adjustment path for the
(3) On
27
April
2009,
the
Council
decided,
in
accordance
with Article 104(6) of the Treaty establishing the
government deficit and the increase of government debt
European Community, that an excessive deficit existed
in nominal terms,
in Greece.
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
(4) On
10
May
2010,
the
Council
adopted
Decision
2010/320/EU ( 1 ) (hereinafter ‘the Decision’) addressed to
Greece under Article 126(9) and Article 136 TFEU with a
Article 1
view to reinforcing and deepening the fiscal surveillance
and giving notice to Greece to take measures for the
Decision 2010/320/EU is amended as follows:
deficit reduction judged necessary to remedy the
situation of excessive deficit at the latest by the
deadline of 2014. The Council established the
(1) in Article 2(4), point (c) is replaced by the following:
following path for the deficit correction: government
deficits not exceeding EUR 18 508 million in 2010,
‘(c) the government clears payment of arrears accumulated
( 1 ) OJ L 145, 11.6.2010, p. 6.
in 2010 and reduces those of previous years;’;

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EN
29.4.2011 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union L
110/27
(2) in Article 2(4), point (d) is replaced by the following:
of monthly data on staff movements (entries, exits,
transfers among entities) of the several government
departments;’;
‘(d) a medium-term budgetary strategy plan which
identifies permanent fiscal consolidation measures of
at least 8 % of GDP (some of which have already been
(5) in Article 2(4), point (g) is replaced by the following:
identified in May 2010), plus a contingency reserve,
that will ensure the achievement of deficit targets up
to 2014, and that the debt-to-GDP ratio is put on a
sustainable downward path. The strategy plan will be
‘(g) implementation of the comprehensive reform of the
published for public consultation before end March.
health care system started in 2010 with the objective
The medium-term strategy plan includes, in particular:
to keep public health expenditure at or below 6 % of
prudent macroeconomic forecasts; baseline revenue
GDP; measures yielding savings on pharmaceuticals of
and expenditure projections for the state and for the
at least EUR 2 billion relative to the 2010 level, of
other government entities; a description of permanent
which at least EUR 1 billion in 2011; improvement in
fiscal measures, their timing and their quantification;
the accounting and billing systems of hospitals,
annual spending ceilings for each ministry and fiscal
through: finalising the introduction of double-entry
targets for other government entities through 2014;
accrual accounting systems in all hospitals; the use
post-measures fiscal projections for general
of the uniform coding system and a common
government in line with the deficit and debt targets;
registry for medical supplies; the calculation of
longer-term debt projections based on prudent macro
stocks and flows of medical supplies in all the
economic projections, stable primary surpluses from
hospitals using the uniform coding system for
2014 on; and privatisation plans. The medium-term
medical supplies; and the timely invoicing of
strategy plan will be articulated with the ongoing
treatment costs (no later than 2 months) to Greek
healthcare and pension reforms and with specific
social security funds, other Member States and
sectoral plans. The sectoral plans (draft plans to be
private health insurers; and ensure that at least 50 %
available by end March), will cover in particular: tax
of the volume of medicines used by public hospitals
policy reforms; state-owned enterprises; extra
by the end of 2011 is composed of generics and off-
budgetary funds (legal entities of the public sector
patent medicines by making it compulsory for all
and earmarked accounts); public wage bill; and
public hospitals to procure pharmaceutical products
public administration; social spending; public
by active substance;’;
investment and military spending. Each sectoral plan
will be managed by interministerial taskforces;’;
(6) in Article 2(4), point (h) is replaced by the following:
(3) in Article 2(4), point (e) is replaced by the following:
‘(h) with the aim of fighting waste and mismanagement in
state-owned companies and yield fiscal savings of at
least EUR 800 million, an act that: cuts primary
‘(e) an anti-evasion plan which includes quantitative
remuneration in public enterprises by at least 10 %
performance indicators to hold revenue administration
at company level; limits secondary remuneration to
accountable; legislation to streamline the adminis
10 % of primary remuneration; establishes a ceiling
trative tax dispute and judicial appeal processes and
of EUR 4 000 per month for gross earnings (12
the required acts and procedures to better address
payments per year); increases urban transport tariffs
misconduct, corruption and poor performance of tax
by at least 30 %; actions that reduce operational
officials, including prosecution in cases of breach of
expenditure in public companies between 15 % to
duty; and publication of monthly reports of the five
25 %; and an act for the restructuring of the OASA;’;
anti-evasion taskforces, including a set of progress
indicators;’;
(7) in Article 2(4), point (k) is replaced by the following:
(4) in Article 2(4), point (f) is replaced by the following:
‘(k) adoption of a law to establish the Single Public
Procurement Authority in line with the Action Plan;
and development of an e-procurement IT platform
‘(f) a detailed action plan with a timeline to complete and
and setting up of intermediate milestones in line
implement the simplified remuneration system; prep
with the Action Plan, including: testing a pilot
aration of a medium-term human resource plan for the
version, availability of all functionalities for all
period up to 2013 in line with the rule of 1
contracts and phasing-in of the mandatory use of e-
recruitment for 5 exits, also specifying plans to real
procurement system for supplies, services and works
locate qualified staff to priority areas; and publication
contracts;’;

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L 110/28
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
29.4.2011
(8) in Article 2(4), the following point is added:
(11) Article 2, a new paragraph is added:
‘(l) an act specifying the qualification and responsibilities
‘8. Greece
shall
adopt
the
following
measures
by
the
of accounting officers to be appointed in all line
end of March 2012:
ministries and major government entities with the
responsibility to ensure sound financial controls;
appointment of financial accounting officers; and
(a) a reform of the secondary/supplementary pension
acceleration of the process of establishing commitment
schemes, by merging funds and starting the calculation
registries and operational registries covering the whole
of benefits on the basis of the new notional defined-
general government (except the smallest entities).’;
contribution system; freezing of nominal supple
mentary pensions and reduction of the replacement
rates for accrued rights in funds with deficits, based
(9) in Article 2(5), the following point is added:
on the actuarial study prepared by the National
Actuarial Authority. In case the actuarial study is not
ready, replacement rates are reduced, starting from
‘(i) publication of an inventory of state-owned assets,
1 January 2012, to avoid deficits.’.
including stakes in listed and non-listed enterprises
and commercially viable real estate and land and an
estimation of the values of these assets; and estab
Article 2
lishment of a General Secretariat of Real Estate in
order to improve coordination and accelerate the
This Decision shall take effect on the day of its notification.
privatisation and asset management programme. On
the basis of this inventory, privatisation plans will be
revised and accelerated.’;
Article 3
This Decision is addressed to the Hellenic Republic.
(10) in Article 2(6), the following point is added:
Done at Brussels, 7 March 2011.
‘(f) building on the inventory of commercial state-owned
real-estate assets (to be published by June 2011); elab
For the Council
oration of a medium-term plan to divest state assets;
revision of the privatisation receipts planned for
The President
2011-13; and extension of the plan through 2015.’;
CZOMBA S.

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