Italy is in a ''tecnical recession'' which will result in zero growth in 2008, the European Commission said Monday.
Stagnation will continue through 2009 and there will only be a slight recovery, an estimated 0.6%, in 2010, the EC said in an autumn report that sharply cut previous forecasts.
The deficit/GDP ratio will begin to worsen again this year, to 2.5%, and slip further next year, to 2.6%, it said.
Public debt will stay steady this year, rise to 104.3% of GDP next year and fall again to 103.8% in 2010, the EC said.
