<P> Article 34 of the Constitution was amended in 2008 to include the objective of balancing the public sector accounts . In 2012 France passed a new law (2012 - 1403), creating the independent High Council of Public Finances, giving it the responsibility to report on the sustainability and deviation from planned targets of public spending . </P> <P> In 2009 Germany's constitution was amended to introduce the Schuldenbremse ("debt brake"), a balanced budget provision . This will apply to both the federal government and the Länder (German states). From 2016 onwards the federal government will be forbidden to run a structural deficit of more than 0.35% of GDP . From 2020, the states will not be permitted to run any structural deficit at all . The Basic Law permits an exception to be made for emergencies such as a natural disaster or severe economic crisis . </P> <P> In 2011 Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi promised to balance the budget by 2013, and a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of Italy was added in 2012 with an overwhelming parliamentary majority, under the following Monti government . </P> <P> Poland's constitution (adopted in 1997) caps the public debt at 60% of GDP--the government cannot take on any financial obligations that would cause that limit to be exceeded . To ensure this level is never breached, Poland has a self - imposed debt threshold of 55% of GDP, and the government must take action to balance the budget once this level is exceeded . </P>

Who in the u.s. is affected by the so-called balanced budget rule