German gov't approves plan for 0-borrowing budget
German government OKs plan for structurally balanced 2014 budget, no new borrowing in 2015
BERLIN (AP) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Cabinet has approved a draft budget plan that foresees the government getting by without new borrowing in 2015.
The draft passed Wednesday foresees a structurally balanced budget next year, with net new borrowing of €6.4 billion ($8.4 billion) — down from €17.1 billion in 2013. New borrowing is supposed to sink to zero in 2015 and in subsequent years.
Total spending is set to sink to €296.9 billion next year, a 1.7 percent decline from this year's level of €302 billion.
Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble says Germany is showing that economic growth and tackling deficits aren't mutually exclusive. He says the Cabinet wanted to approve the plan before this week's EU summit and send a "strong signal for Europe."
