L 20022 Official Journal of the European Union 29.7.2008 COUNCIL DECISION of 8 July 2008 abrogating Decision 2005/183/EC on the existence of an excessive deficit in Poland (2008/622[EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 104(12) thereof, Having regard to the recommendation from the Commission, Whereas: By Council Decision 2005/183/EC (!), following a re- commendation from the Commission in accordance with Article 104(6) of the Treaty, it was decided that an excessive deficit existed in Poland. The Council noted that the general government deficit was 4,1 % of GDP in 2003, above the 3 % of GDP Treaty reference value, while general government gross debt stood at 454 % of GDP, below the 60% of GDP Treaty reference value. The Council decision stated that the deficit and the debt figures would have to be adjusted upward if the funded pension schemes were excluded from the general government sector following the Eurostat decision on the classification of the funded pension schemes (2). On 5 July 2004, in accordance with Article 104(7) of the Treaty and Article 3(4) of Council Regulation (EC) No 146797 of 7 July 1997 on speeding up and clari- fying the implementation of the excessive deficit procedure (3), the Council made, based on a recommen- dation from the Commission, a recommendation addressed to Poland with a view to bringing the excessive deficit situation to an end by 2007 at the latest. The recommendation was made public. On 28 November 2006, the Council decided in accordance with Article 104(8), on a recommendation from the Commission, that action taken until then by the Polish authorities was inadequate (). On 27 February 2007, the Council issued a new recommendation under () OJ L 62, 9.3.2005, p. 18. (%) Eurostat News Releases No 30/2004 of 2 March 2004 and No 117/2004 of 23 September 2004. () OJ L 209, 2.8.1997, p. 6. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1056/2005 (O] L 174, 7.7.2005, p. 5). () O] L 414, 30.12.2006, p. 81. Article 104(7), on a recommendation from the Commission, confirming the 2007 deadline for the correction. The recommendation was made public. In accordance with Article 104(12) of the Treaty, a Council Decision on the existence of an excessive deficit is to be abrogated when the excessive deficit in the Member State concerned has, in the view of the Council, been corrected. In accordance with the Protocol on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the Treaty, the Commission provides the data for the implementation of the procedure. As part of the application of this Protocol, Member States are to notify data on government deficits and debt and other associated variables twice a year, namely before 1 April and before 1 October, in accordance with Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 3605/93 of 22 November 1993 on the application of the Protocol on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the Treaty establishing the European Community (3). Based on data provided by the Commission (Eurostat) in accordance with Article 8g(l) of Regulation (EC) No 3605/93 following the notification by Poland before 1 April 2008 and on the Commission services’ spring 2008 forecast, the following conclusions are warranted: — the general government deficit was reduced from 3,8 % of GDP in 2006 to 2,0 % of GDP in 2007, which is below the 3 % of GDP deficit reference value. This compares with a target of 3,4 % of GDP set in the November 2006 update of the convergence programme, () OJ L 332, 31.12.1993, p. 7. Regulation as last amended by Regu- lation (EC) No 2103/2005 (O] L 337, 22.12.2005, p. 1).