ROME, May 7 (Xinhua) - Italy's parliament on Tuesday approved the 2013 economic blueprint which outlined pro-growth policies and measures to revive the country's stagnant economy.

Economy Minister Fabrizio Saccomanni said the approval of the Economy and Finance Document (DEF) by both houses of parliament was an important step in view of the Ecofin meeting set on May 13-14.

The DEF requires the government to introduce reforms in compliance with the European Union (EU) commitments.

Saccomanni said the blueprint can still be improved after the parliament's approval to take account of lower borrowing costs.

"The DEF foresees burdens to service the public debt that are probably higher than those that have come about with the reduction of interest rates on the financial markets in recent weeks," he said.

According to the DEF, Italy's budget deficit for 2013 would be 2.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), under the 3 percent limit set by the EU, which facilitates the closure of a deficit-infraction procedure.

The blueprint was issued last month by former prime minister Mario Monti's government of unelected technocrats which adopted a painful austerity drive after taking power in November 2011 amid deepening economic crisis.

The new left-right coalition of Prime Minister Enrico Letta is faced with record-high debt levels and a massive underground economy in a country which is experiencing its longest recession in 20 years. Endi

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