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La France, Germany and other euro countries are preparing to establish a cordon sanitaire around Greece. To avoid the contagion of the fiscal crisis in southern Europe. The decision Wednesday by mature finance ministers must be confirmed Thursday by a special economic summit convened in Brussels.

Past Time denials on a "bailout plan", the sixteen Ministers of Finance have written Wednesday afternoon, the scenario during a videoconference decided in haste with the ECB president, Jean-Claude Trichet, and the new Commissioner of Economic Affairs Olli Rehn. Thursday it was the turn of the Heads of State and Government. Paris seemed to confirm an impending decision by saying that Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel will speak together at the end of the summit."This is a response to market concerns," said President of the Eurogroup Jean-Claude Juncker.

Risk of contagion

The capitals of the euro area are found immersed in financial emergencies. It is no longer helping private banks threatened with bankruptcy, but sovereign states, victims of speculative attacks that threaten the stability of the euro.

Greece, whose fiscal situation is dramatic, can not find a buyer for the debt markets, less than 6% for a state loan to ten years, a price two times higher than Germany.The scenario of failure refinancing of Greece, with an explosion of interest rates, leading to bankruptcy of the country, hanging over all Euro zone.

The risk of infection, reported by the European Commission itself has closed the debate on whether to isolate and treat the first victim vigorously payday advance . "Greece is affected, and everybody crosses their fingers on a much more cumbersome: Spain", notes one diplomat. Treatment thought Wednesday could well be applied to others. "We envision all possible scenarios," said one senior European official.The draft promises to be bitter for the country ill: an infusion of bridging loans and short-term government guarantees, with counterpart, a say close to Europe and / or creditors in the reorganization undertaken by the governments.

These are the states at the forefront Paris and Berlin, who took the initiative. The French and German banks hold nearly 40% of the Greek foreign debt, which is active in mueraient balls if the crisis drags on trust.

Even with a label "European", the injection of state funds – for example French and German – to help a national treasure would be a first in the euro area. The creditors will not invest lightly in countries that already spend for pierced baskets. "Yes, help arrives.No, there is no question of releasing the pressure on Athens, Wednesday secured a European negotiator.

In practice, they are also the states should ensure, with an assiduity worthy of the IMF, that Greece meets the rigor period prescribed by Prime Minister Papandreou.

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"How to achieve its goal three months of sales? By becoming a vendor at Renault Samsung, "The joke circulating these days at the dealership in Seoul, during the lunch break. Their enthusiasm was due to booming sales of Korean-French manufacturer since early 2010.

A surge of 74.6% on the South Korean market in January (compared to last year), while exports registered a strong increase of 43.6%. This spectacular start due to the immediate success by winning the new SM5, the car manufacturer's flagship, launched last month. The third version of the sedan, developed from the chassis of the Laguna 3 sells like hotcakes and allows Renault Samsung to face the future with serenity.

"This is a key operation, the SM5 must ensure the future of the brand for five years," said CEO Jean-Marie Hurtig.

Image quality

Things seem to parties because these excellent figures confirm the good results registered by the manufacturer in 2009, world in crisis. Defying the pessimistic prognoses of its own troops, the Korean branch of Renault reported a 31% increase in sales last year, thanks to a South Korean market remained buoyant despite the international situation. Based on image quality, still up in surveys of consumers, the manufacturer has strengthened its position as the second group of Korea, at GM Daewoo. In the land of morning calm, Renault Samsung is the manufacturer that goes against the behemoth Hyundai-Kia, which controls nearly 80% market share.The success of the SM3 but also export the Koleos, an SUV of the year in China, enable the brand to address the global recovery with optimism.

Performance that also strengthen the position of the manufacturer within the Renault group. In 2009, South Korea became the third largest market for Renault (except Nissan) behind France and Germany. A spectacular leap from 9th place, a year earlier, made possible by the lowered sales in major markets like Turkey, Italy or Brazil.A breakthrough that allows the manufacturer to get rid of its image of Tom Thumb the group, which sticks to the skin from its takeover in 2000, on the verge of bankruptcy.

Logistically, Renault Samsung has also taken advantage of the crisis to increase its role in the alliance: taking advantage of the fall of the Korean won against the yen, the Pusan plant provides more and more parts to workshops Nissan, on the island of Kyushu. "Korea becomes competitive with China," said Jean-Marie Hurtig, who can also rely on the quality of South Korean engineers and a social climate less tense than in Hyundai and Ssangyong.

Only downside, the rise steeply from the Korean currency against the dollar and the euro, which threatens the competitive edge of exports.

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Economic Meeting Friday and Saturday in the Canadian North, while financial markets were concerned, particularly in Europe, the drift of their deficits, major fundraisers of the G7 (U.S., Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Italy and United Kingdom) maintain the cap. They pledge to continue their respective recovery plans. For its part, Europe will address itself the Greek case without recourse to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Furthermore, a tentative agreement in sight to introduce taxation of international banks.

These are the three conclusions of the meeting of the G7 major fundraisers – Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors – Iqaluit. A place almost inaccessible, forcing many ministers to use private jets.The Government of Canada wanted to reaffirm its sovereignty over the Arctic region.

An international taxation

As the host, Jim Flaherty, Canadian Finance Minister, was particularly prescriptive. The problem of Greece should be "managed by the European Union, not by the G7," he insisted to reporters while their European colleagues were reluctant to speak. As chairman of the Eurogroup Jean-Claude Juncker has formally denied the idea that Greece might need money from the International Monetary Fund. As for Jean-Claude Trichet, ECB president, he again expressed his confidence in Greece "to take all actions necessary" in order to reduce its deficit to 3% in 2012 . "We're going to build a priority in areas of shortage, and therefore more expensive, but with less money," says the delegate general who believes a more realistic assessment of the number of homes built to last 100,000.

At the Department, any accusation of declining level of aid is denied."The effort of the State is not limited to 624 million euros of aid to the stone, take into account the full support of 4.7 billion euros, which will build 140,000 homes social, said the firm Benoist Appeared. Construction or purchase. As announced Tuesday the secretary of state, public housing agencies will be able to acquire any vacant units to turn them into housing. Another idea supported by the Social Union for Housing, but according to Pierre Quercy will face the same problems of funding. "We estimate that 350 million euros of state aid would be needed to buy 10,000 housing units in the tense areas," said the delegate general. What largely begin the budget.

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While the National Assembly must address on Tuesday on the shutters "great debt" and "Taxation of banks' of the supplementary budget, Eric Woerth, the budget minister, said on France Info this morning that" the impact of large borrowing on the government deficit in 2010 is limited to 2.5 billion euros, or 0.1 points of GDP, while stressing that he was "loaned funds, which will be refunded. Eric Woerth said the need to "reduce our structural deficit, but by the activity that will recreate the recipes that have failed during the recession."He recalled that the forecast deficit passed Monday evening in Brussels indicate a return to a level of public deficit below 3% of GDP, in line with European requirements in 2013, assuming a growth of 2% to 2.5% .

Another topic to be discussed by MPs today, charging the banks should "be subject to parliamentary debate," said Eric Woerth, adding that "it is essential to tax speculative activities.

A minister little to say on pension reform

Regarding the proposed pension reform, a project which must be opened after the regional elections, the budget minister has shown little to say cash advance to savings account .He merely noted that it is a "big issue" and that "all options for reform are on the table."

Also arrested on the law of mobility of staff, Eric Woerth has detailed the operation: "the law of mobility must allow officials to move easily from one jurisdiction to another. An official unearmarked, because his position was eliminated as in private careers, will be entitled to retraining and individual training, which did not exist before. It will then propose a post. It will address three refusals, but then, it will be laid off. "Eric Woerth has assured that" the family and geographical constraints will be taken into account. "It concluded that "after three refusals, it is normal that the employee leaves the terminal, because it means that the person is more motivated to work in administration."

To those who accuse him of wearing a type of speech 'administration, you love him or you leave her', Budget Minister has assured that "this reform can finally build a real human resources policy in the Administration, with merit promotions. "

Industrial prices rose modestly in December on the French market, 0.2%, the same pace as in November, according to figures released Monday by the INSEE. For the full year 2009, producer prices have therefore fallen by 2.9%.

In December, prices of refinery products rose only slightly by 0.8% over the month, against 3.3% in November and 3.2% in October. For export, prices have remained quite stable (+0.0%) moderated by lower export prices of refinery products, by -2.1%. "The difference in recent developments in relation to the internal market (+0.8%) from a structural difference in sales depending on the market," said INSEE. In imports, industrial products remained almost stable at 0.1%.