3 year average of the current account balance as a percentage of GDP, with indicative thresholds of +6% and - 4%; net international investment position (NIIP) as a percentage of GDP, with an indicative threshold of -35%; the NIIP shows the difference between a country's external financial assets and its external financial liabilities; 5 years percentage change of export market shares measured in values, with an indicative threshold of -6%; 3 years percentage change in nominal unit labour cost(ULC), with an indicative thresholds of +9% for euro area countries and +12% for non-euro area countries. 3 years percentage change in real effective exchange rates(REER) based on HICP deflators, relative to 41 other industrial countries, with indic ...[+++]ative thresholds of­ -/+5% for euro area countries and -/+11% for non-euro area countries; the REER shows price competitiveness relative to the main trading partners.

3 years percentage change in real effective exchange rates (REER) based on HICP deflators, relative to 41 other industrial countries ; indicative thresholds of­ -/+5% for euro area countries and -/+11% for non-euro area countries; the REER shows price competitiveness relative to the main trading partners.

Enhanced/reinforced surveillance: this is put in place for a eurozone country in budgetary difficulties when there is a risk of negative spill-over effects on other eurozone countries (due to the interdependence of their markets, particularly for capital).

It therefore also applies to eurozone countries requesting or receiving financial assistance from EU countries, non-EU countries, EU stability mechanisms or international financial institutions.

By the end of 2002, only six EU countries, including four euro area countries had achieved budget positions (both in nominal and cyclically adjusted terms) that met the 'close to balance or in surplus' requirement of the Stability and Growth Pact, whereas two euro area countries (accounting for half of the euro area output) had deficits above the 3% of GDP reference value.

A third important use of MSS will be as a substitute for cellular mobile telephony in areas where the cellular network has failed to penetrate (i.e. rural parts of the developed world and both urban and rural parts of lower income countries).