Italy-EU negotiations over budget

(ANSA) - Brussels, January 17 - Rome and Brussels are engaged in negotiations on Italy's public accounts and the outcome is expected to influence the tone of the letter that the European Commission is set to send calling for an adjustment in Italy's structural deficit, sources said Tuesday. The two sides are negotiating over the size of the adjustment required and the time frame to deliver measures, sources said.
    The Italian government would like to avoid an obligation to present the measures by February 1, which the EC reportedly wants as it will release a new set of economic forecasts that day.
    Brussels, meanwhile, wants guarantees that Italy will take action as soon as possible to be able to include the details in an upcoming report on debt, without having to highlight too big a difference from the set targets.