On November 28, the European Commission will present its analysis of the financial laws of the Eurozone countries. Italy, France and Belgium have all been threatened with infringement action. <br /><br />But for some the Commission is taking too weak a stance against countries who are breaking EU rules.<br /><br />“The Commission has practically abdicated its role as a watchdog. It has accepted almost everything the member states have presented”, said Daniel Gros, Director of the Centre for European Policy Studies.<br /><br />Paris has asked for an extra two years to bring the budget deficit to below three percent.<br /><br />The Commission will not take any decisions until early March, but the country could then face a multi-billion euro fine.<br /><br />However, Gros believes the EC will be lenient on the French government.<br />“France will get probably get all the time it wants to have because the French president has one very simple argument: ‘If you don’t give me time with my budget then the Front National will win the next elections and you certainly don’t want that to happen!’”<br /><br />Italy and Belgium may be be put on a disciplinary programme following the EC’s verdict in March. Both countries are weighed down by debt and are struggling with serious problems of growth.<br /><br />“There will be no big changes in the fiscal stance because the countries are all going a little bit beyond what is permitted and the Commission allows them to do that”, Gros anticipated.<br /><br />The union is reportedly also keeping a close eye on Spain, Portugal, Austria and Malta. All four countries risk violating the stability pact.