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Coup de th??tre to the Constitutional Council. Tuesday night is no less a pillar of the 2010 budget that the Sages retoque in deciding to cancel the carbon tax in its entirety. In their decision, the constitutional judges – seized last week by the Parliamentary Socialists – have ruled that the law created too many exemptions, which is "contrary to the objective of fighting against global warming" and creates an inequality in tax."Less than half the emissions of greenhouse gas emissions would have been subject to contributions to carbon, because many of these exemptions, they argued.

In detail, the Constitutional Council has stressed that "were totally exempt contribution of carbon emissions from power plants generating electricity, emissions from industrial sites in 1018 the most polluting (refineries, cement, coke …) "emissions from aviation" or "those of the public transport of passengers by road. "These exemptions have led to only 93% of emissions from industrial sources, excluding fuel, are exempt from carbon contribution," according to the text.The tax would have "focused on fuel and heating products that are only one source of emission of carbon dioxide.

An alternative is proposed by Fillon January 20

Shortly after the publication of the decision of the Elders, Matignon has announced that Francois Fillon presented January 20 in Council of Ministers a new scheme taking "full account of the observations of the Constitutional Council. The prime minister maintains, however, that this contribution is needed to guide the behavior of firms and households in terms of energy consumption and reduce emissions of greenhouse gas emissions. "The cabinet of Jean-Louis Borloo for its part indicated that the Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development Wednesday react to this defeat.

For its part, the Socialist Party – through its National Secretary for the Environment, Laurence Rossignol – did not expect to qualify the decision of the constitutional judges of "heavy defeat for the president. It is both the sanction of a working method that is to do everything in a hurry and a series of announcement effects. For the federation France Nature Environment (FNE), a cancellation is "catastrophic." "The carbon tax is clearly in agony.Copenhagen has shown that political will was not enough in the fight against climate change and today is the leverage that tax is lowered, "lamented spokesman FNE, Arnaud Gosse.

A measure dear to the Head of State

Wanted by Nicolas Sarkozy, the tax, renamed "carbon contribution" by the Senate, was a key measure of the proposed 2010 budget. In total, it would have resulted in 4.1 billion euros in tax revenue next year, including 2.2 billion paid by households. The Head of State himself had described as a "revolutionary tax" and a "major shift" to "lasting change" behavior of the French. The tax was aimed at encouraging individuals to reduce their CO2 emissions by applying the energy consumption of households and businesses, with compensation to individuals.For businesses, the carbon tax would replace the business tax, which was abandoned, however, been validated by the Constitutional Council.

According to calculations by INSEE, the entry into force – scheduled for 1 January – would be to effect a general price increase of 0.3% in first quarter 2010, an increase of about 4 cents per liter gasoline pump. Set at 17 euros per tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2), but she had raised important challenges left, but right where some denounced the introduction of a new tax.

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Christmas may be a small taste of social conflict to European officials. The EU countries have decided to increase by only 1.85% next year, instead of the 3.7% originally planned. Amputation justified by the economic crisis, but returns to divide by two indexing legally provided for in contracts. And that, therefore, more than likely be retoqu?e by the European Court of Justice.

The payslip of some 45 000 employees and contractors in Europe is automatically in effect revalued each year, according to a complex formula incorporating the wage of public service in eight Member States and the cost of living in Brussels.The calculation ended this year with an increase of 3.7% … which caused a surge in countries obliged to freeze or even reduce the salaries of their own officials.

As the Twenty-Seven have they endorsed this Wednesday, after weeks of procrastination, a halving of the annual adjustment. This sudden attack of virtue going very badly in Brussels – even if they, with their comfortable salaries, have trouble finding a sympathetic ear: the grid of monthly payments of civil servants will in effect from 2 600 euros gross, for a beginner bottom of the scale, 18 000, for a general manager at the end of career …

A strike in mid-January

The unions argue that if indexing payroll is divided by two, the samples increase as expected, reduces to only 2.3% higher net wages.Above all, they denounce the illegality of the decision, while the agreement on wage adjustments until near 2012. Several officials of the Parliament considered that a revision of the calculation could be considered later, but by 2012, the rules must be respected.

The case is far from over, because the unions are eager to assert their rights. The conflict could escalate if the Commission officials put their threat into execution and a strike vote in mid-January. Their colleagues in Parliament could decide to disrupt the hearings of the future European Commissioners, also planned in January.

But the most effective lever will probably come from the Commission itself, which is preparing to attack the EU countries before the European Court of Justice in early January.With a realistic chance of success: in 1972, the judges had given him reason in a similar situation.

After Fitch and Standard & Poor's, Moody's has in turn lowered the debt rating of Greece on Tuesday. The bonds are so degraded by one notch from A2 to A1 with negative outlook.

"The repositioning of Greece at A2 level reflects both the very limited risk of a liquidity crisis in the short term and other credit risk in the medium and long term," Moody's justified. Indeed, "risk long term has been partially offset by the government's announcement" last week on the austerity budget.

Reviews of Moody's moderates have tended to reassure markets that apparently he had built a stronger degradation of the Greek notes. The Athens Stock Exchange returning 2.96% in early morning.The interest rate on bonds over 10 years of Greek Treasury bills were even lower, at 5.734% against 5.955%.

Following the announcement by Moody's notes on the Greek, Tuesday morning, the euro hovered around $ 1.43. "The euro is being undermined by the widening spreads (difference between interest rates, Ed) on yields of government bonds in the euro area," observed Friday in a note economists at BNP Paribas.

The difference between the interest rate applied to Greek government bonds to ten years and the German Bund, benchmark euro area widened to 250 basis points, or 2.5 percentage points, recent weeks.

Plan rigor

The Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, presented last week a fiscal austerity plan to leave public finances slump. The stated objective is to reduce the deficit to 4%.Greece is facing a deficit estimated for 2009 to 12.7% and a debt that represents 113% of GDP.

Moody's remains reserved about the effects of the government plan. "The long term rating of Greece will depend on how the public will accept these measures and the government's ability to implement them vigorously," the agency analysis. However, "neither of these points can not be taken for granted."

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"The euro suffered the misfortunes of Greece

The Committee approved the December 8 and 9 "advisory for a package of proposals to strengthen regulation of capital and liquidity with the objective of strengthening the banking sector," he said in a statement.

These measures will "respond to the lessons of the crisis in the regulation, supervision and risk management of banks," said the committee.

The proposals for capital and liquidity will strengthen the banks and create a financial banking system and healthier, "said the chairman, Nout Wellink, who is also president of the Dutch Central Bank.

It is, however, that a "consultation document" and not a final text, recalled Wednesday a spokesman of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in Basel, including hosting meetings.

The 27 "wise men" had already announced in early July an increase of Basel II, introduced in 2004 and requiring banks with a capital ratio weighted overall risk incurred by financial institutions.

Avoiding a new "Lehman Brothers"

To avoid the disastrous consequences of a new financial crisis including the collapse of financial institutions of systemic importance, as the bankruptcy of U.S. bank Lehman Brothers in September 2008, the Basel Committee grilled for several months on a building rules governing the banking sector.

In his new proposals, the committee wants to strengthen the quality and transparency of the core capital Tier 1 (core capital of a bank), allowing institutions to better absorb potential losses.

He also wants to improve the level of capital to protect facilities including activities on derivatives and repos (repos).

Debt ratio

Banks should also establish a ratio of debt to contain their debt, financial buffers to cope with difficult situations and a minimum level of liquidity.

The impact of these measures on the sector should be analyzed in the first half of 2010 with the aim to introduce by the end of 2012.

The committee, founded in 1974 and composed of the governors of 27 central banks worldwide, "will ensure that the implementation of new standards is consistent with the financial market stability and sustainable economic growth," assured Nout Wellink.

Central bankers also want to introduce a period of tolerance and accompanying measures "for a period sufficiently long to allow a smooth transition to new standards.

The number one European military shipbuilding organized to address the decline of its activities with the Navy. The group wants to go for growth internationally and into new businesses such as civilian nuclear energy and marine renewable. In an interview with Le Figaro, said Patrick Boissier issues of its strategic plan to 10 years.

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After a year and a half behind schedule, the military transport plane A400M will finally soon make its first flight. A spokesman for the German Ministry of Defense said Thursday that the first flight will take place on 10 or 11 December in Seville (Spain). He said that "of 11 is most likely. For its part, Airbus Military has just announced a flight to "the end of the week" next. The exact date will depend on the results of ground tests and the weather.

The transport aircraft propellers powered by four turboprop engines have been flying in summer 2008 but has suffered many delays because of development problems, particularly related to its engine. Deliveries to the armies are in turn delayed by at least three years and will not occur before late 2012 at the earliest.Germany, France, Spain, United Kingdom, Turkey, Belgium and Luxembourg have ordered a total of 180 aircraft.

The troubled conglomerate Dubai World announced on the night of Monday to Tuesday a forthcoming restructuring of some of his companies, including real estate giant Nakheel, which could include the sale of assets.

In his first statement since the crisis began Wednesday, Dubai World said that "the process of restructuring will involve World Nakheel and Limitless World" but not other group companies, including the giant Port DP World, "who are in financial stable.

The conglomerate said that "the restructuring process will include several phases which (…) evaluation of options, including asset sales.

He asked the bondholders to appoint Nakheel "an authorized representative with whom discussions can begin.

The Dubai authorities have announced November 25 their intention to request a six-month moratorium on the debt of Dubai World. The moratorium on the payment, provided December 14, 3.5 billion of Islamic bonds by Nakheel.

"Dubai can not stem the crisis