European Union ministers and officials pointed to a possible way out of a row over respect of the bloc's budgetary Stability and Growth Pact at emergency talks between EU finance ministers on Thursday.
Luxembourg Prime Minister Mr Jean-Claude Juncker and a German official insisted separately EU nations stick to a goal of getting budget deficits close to balance by 2004, but suggested this could be conditional on growth forecasts being met.
Finance ministers are due to meet on Thursday amid doubts whether France's new conservative government is committed to meeting the 2004 goal, due to be enshrined in EU policy guidelines to be adopted at a June 21st - 22nd EU summit in Seville.
Officials fear a decision to postpone the budget goal again - the European Commission once suggested it be met in 2002 - could damage the euro's credibility on financial markets.
The German official said Berlin also worried such a move could lead the European Central Bank, which has urged euro zone budgets be balanced as soon as possible, to raise interest rates.
Spain, the current holders of the EU's rotating presidency, is organising the finance ministers' meeting in Madrid in an effort to keep the budget issue off the main EU summit agenda.