“Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said on Friday that France would ask its EU partners and the European Commission for an extra year to cut its public deficit below a targeted 3 percent of GDP, and would outline new savings measures soon.  Mr Hollande said his government had brought down the deficit to 4.5 percent in 2012. The European Commission expects a French 2013 deficit of 3.7 percent of GDP.  Spending cuts in 2014 would be made in the state budget, local budgets and the social security budget, Hollande said.  Mr Hollande said France would continue to try and boost growth through public investment.”