Italy strikes deal with EU commission over budget, says ministry spokeswoman

• Italy has reached a deal with the European Commission over its contested 2019 budget, a spokeswoman at the economy ministry said on Tuesday.
• The Commission rejected Italy's expansionary draft budget in October, saying it was in clear breach of EU fiscal rules.
• Rome submitted a revised plan last week with a lower deficit.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte poses with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker ahead of a meeting at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium December 12, 2018.

Francois Lenoir | Reuters

Italy has reached a deal with the European Commission over its contested 2019 budget, a spokeswoman at the economy ministry said on Tuesday, adding that the accord would be formalized on Wednesday in Brussels.

The Commission rejected Italy's expansionary draft budget in October, saying it was in clear breach of EU fiscal rules. Rome submitted a revised plan last week with a lower deficit, opening the way for intensive negotiations over the package.