MINISTERS FEEL EC FORECASTS TOO PESSIMISTIC European Community finance ministers discussed the economic outlook for the 12-nation bloc and many said a recent gloomy forecast by the EC Commission was too pessimistic. The Commission, the EC's executive authority, two weeks ago cut its forecast for economic growth in the Community to 2.3 per cent for this year from 2.8 per cent predicted last autumn. It said economic prospects had been less promising over the past few months because of a sharp fall in the value of the dollar and a slowing of world trade -- factors which would restrain Community exports. But diplomats said several member states, led by West Germany, Britain and France, felt the forecast was too gloomy, especially since it was drafted before a recent agreement between the leading Western economic powers to stabilise currencies around current levels. "Many delegations feel the (Commission's) report is rather too pessimistic," said Belgian Finance Minister Mark Eyskens, who chaired the meeting. The Commission, which slashed its growth forecast for West Germany to two per cent from 3.2 per cent, has made clear it feels Bonn has room to introduce additional measures to stimulate its economy that would benefit the rest of Europe. But two top German officials, State Secretaries Otto Schlecht and Hans Tietmeyer, told reporters Bonn saw no need at the moment for action to bolster the EC's biggest economy. The diplomats said they were backed by Britain and France, while Italy, Greece and Denmark supported the Commission's view that Bonn should bring in new measures to aid EC growth.