France’s finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, has expressed his commitment to take further action to ensure government spending is in line with budget plans should economic growth be weaker than forecast.

The French government is aiming to reduce its public sector budget deficit from 4.9% of output in 2023 to 4.4% in 2024 before gradually coming into line with a European Union limit of 3% in 2027, Reuters reports.

However, both the International Monetary Fund and the country’s own public audit office have raised concerns as to the speed of the reduction. This is even if growth hits the rate of 1.4% the government has formed its budget plans on, which is too optimistic according to some economists.

Speaking on Thursday, the finance minister stated: “I am prepared to take new and further decisions on the public expenses if the level of growth is not the one that we are expecting. This is my responsibility,” Le Maire told the Reuters NEXT conference in New York.

Speaking in Paris, Le Maire went on to add that should there be an economic slowdown or if a geopolitical crisis affects the country’s growth, all the essential decisions were ready to be carried out so as to stick to the 4.4% deficit target set for next year.

“This is my target, I will stick to my commitment, this is a matter of credibility,” the finance minister continued.

Le Maire didn’t specify the form any likely decision could take, but he requested ministries come up with billions of Euros in unplanned budget savings in order to keep the deficit reduction plans on course, the Reuters report adds.