EU raises its own economic outlook

FRANKFURT, Germany, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- The European Commission is raising its forecasts for economic growth this year in the 25-nation European Union, Deutsche Welle said Wednesday.

The EU's overall economic growth outlook for 2006 has been raised to 2.7 percent from 2.3 percent, and the 12-country euro zone is now expected to grow 2.5 percent this year instead of 2.1 percent.

The commission, which is the EU's administrative arm, also boosted its forecast for German growth to 2.2 percent from 1.7 percent.