The EU Commission wants to tailor the often criticized debt rules in the European Union more closely to the needs of individual countries.
The Brussels authority presented an orientation framework on Wednesday.
The aim is to ensure the debt sustainability of the 27 EU countries while at the same time implementing investments and reforms.
The rules should become simpler, more realistic, more transparent and easier to enforce.
Before the budget for 2024 is drawn up, a consensus is to be reached among the member states.
The core of the Commission's considerations are the medium-term financial plans of the respective countries in order to pay off their debt burden.
"The EU countries are now confronted with significantly higher debts and budget deficits, which also differ greatly," said EU Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis.
He was alluding to the pandemic, in which debt has skyrocketed.
The previous upper limits for new borrowing of three percent of economic output and 60 percent for total debt will continue to apply, but will be reached differently.
General specifications are no longer considered realistic.
According to the Commission, the medium-term plans should combine several goals - financial targets, but also reforms and certain investments.
The states should then have more leeway to determine their approach to the debt ceilings themselves.
In return, the implementation should be monitored more closely.
Stricter sanctions are also planned for violations.
In the past, the requirements were repeatedly violated without this having had any noticeable consequences.