Portugal said Tuesday it had already implemented key structural reforms to its labour and welfare systems, as requested by the European Union to help put its public finances in order. 'Portugal has already implemented significant reforms, as much to its social welfare system as to its labour market,' a government spokesman said after a cabinet meeting. 'We are always ready to do more but the reality is that these reforms have been put in place and are already having a positive impact on the public finances,' the spokesman said. Olli Rehn, the EU commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, said on Monday that Spain and Portugal needed to do more to reform their economies given fears that their debt and deficit problems could undermine the euro and the European economy. 'More needs to be done and I can only encourage both countries to pursue structural reforms, for instance in labour market and banking reforms,' Rehn said at a meeting of EU finance ministers in Luxembourg on Monday. Earlier Tuesday, Labour Minister Helena Andre noted that Portugal had already begun a 'profound and exemplary reform of its labour market and social security system. 'Sometimes, in European terms, it is easy to lump together two countries,' Andre added, according to Portuguese reports. Portugal's public debt, which came to 76.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) last year, is projected to widen to 86 percent in 2010, well beyond the 60 percent level set by eurozone rules. 