(ANSA) - Brussels, February 6 - The European Commission is set to slash its forecast for Italy's GDP growth in 2019 to 0.2%, down from the 1.2% it predicted in November, ANSA sources said on Wednesday. The Commission is set to publish its winter economic forecasts on Thursday.

European sources said the revised estimate takes into account the effects of the expansive budget the Italian government passed on December.

The government has forecast growth of 1% this year. Italy technically dipped into recession in the second half of 2018 with negative growth of 0.1% and 0.2% in the third and fourth quarters respectively.

