Conte requesting flexibility from EC

(ANSA) - Rome, December 14 - Premier Giuseppe Conte is requesting that the European Commission uses flexibility in the application of its rules with regards to Italy's budget plan for 2019, sources said Friday. The grounds for the request is based on the need for investments to prevent risks linked to extreme weather and other natural phenomena and the need to finance a plan to speed up Italy's civil and criminal justice, the sources said. The premier will ask that spending on these areas is not considered in deficit calculations, according to the sources. The government is seeking to reach an agreement with the European Commission on the deficit for next year. Conte has proposed running a deficit of 2.04% of GDP next year, compared to 2.4% in the executive's initial plan, to stop the Commission opening an infringement procedure. Deputy Premier and Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio said Friday that key pledges in the budget plan for 2019 will not change as the result of the negotiations.
    "It's emerging from the technical reports that money is left over, so less money will be spent, as more than necessary had been set aside," 5-Star Movement leader Di Maio said. "The budget is worth 30 to 33 billion euros (in new measures) and puts fresh money into the economy".
    The government's key pledges include the introduction of a 'citizenship wage' basic income for job seekers and the 'quota 100' pension reform that would effectively bring down the retirement age by allowing people to start claiming a State pension when their age plus their years of contributions add up to 100.