It has been long awaited, now the time has come. The EU Commission is applying the hard-fought new EU debt rules for the first time. On Wednesday, the EU Commission presented its recommendations for the economic and budget policies of the EU member states. For France, Poland, Italy, Belgium, Hungary, Slovakia and Malta, the Commission also announced the launch of proceedings for „excessive“ deficits. The countries thus join Romania, which is already subject to an excessive deficit procedure.