While interest rates fell slightly in 2002 and exchange rates remained largely stable, fiscal positions deteriorated because revenue increases were outweighed by increases in public expenditure, fuelling already high levels of public debt in some member countries.
虽然2002年利率略降，但汇率基本上稳定，财政情况因公共开支的增幅超过收入的增幅而恶化，使一些国家内业已沉重的外债加剧。