Germany's 2009 state deficit was only marginally larger than the maximum permitted under European Union regulations, dpa quoted the country's national statistics office as reporting today. The revised 2009 deficit stands at 3.1 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), or 75.41 billion euros (93.46 billion dollars), statisticians said. In February they had estimated last year's figure at 3.3 per cent. The EU's Maastricht criteria allow state deficit to reach a maximum of 3 per cent of GDP. This year's deficit could shoot over 5 per cent in Germany, due to the effects of the economic crisis.
