Mar 4




The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries went Wednesday to meet victims of Xynthia in Vendee and Charente-Maritime. Bruno Le Maire first visited an oyster farm in the island of Ré is Tony Brin, to realize the damage caused by the storm the weekend. There, a scene of desolation was waiting after a giant wave passed over a dam three feet high and has invaded the fish ponds. "We will help the fish and shellfish industry already strongly felt in order to continue to live," said the minister.

Specifically, he presented a plan to aid three points for a total of 20 million euros. The bulk of the effort will focus on replacing equipment.This responds to a demand for professionals to enable them to restart their operations and be ready for the season getting ready now. "Especially our equipment that has been affected, such as sorters, the computers or the electricity grid, he says Tony Brin. I have even more checkbook to pay salaries, everything has been drowned by the rising waters, is tell you how we are. "

Lighten the load

Second point plan: relief of financial burdens of 1.5 million euros and finally the implementation of the national guarantee fund for agricultural disasters (FNGCA) to compensate for the loss of fish or shellfish. But on this last point, unlike the 1999 storm, which occurred at low tide and which has devastated oyster or mussel, the damage should be less important.It is funded jointly by government and professional organizations.

Another concern comes from the elver producers who fear their possible side effects of water pollution after they pass on farmland treated. In a scene of desolation, Bruno Le Maire has visited the farm of John Paul Rault, a young farmer Vendeen St. Radégonde-of-Walnut, who has lost everything, including his house, in the rising waters for payday loans bad credit . His case is not isolated as 52 000 hectares of land have been invaded by salt water after the passage of Xynthia. "It will take years and years for desalination," said the farmer. Bruno Mayor announced a plan to tens of millions of euros to farmers (see box below)."I shall return in a few weeks to see how its implementation takes place," he said.

A plan dedicated to farmers

A budget of several million euros to farmers. This was announced on Wednesday the Minister of Agriculture, Bruno Le Maire, the operators hit this weekend by storm Xynthia. In detail, two types of aid are considered. Firstly, a reduced specific financial burdens and also social. The state with the Agricultural Social Insurance Agency has raised 5 million euros for the first strand.

Then, after a case-by-case damage caused by Xynthia field, another package will be released under the National Guarantee Fund for Agricultural Disasters (FNGCA)."Given an initial estimate and according to recent experiments, this should be in the tens of millions of euros," said one familiar with the matter. The new aid will complement those of the plan emergency support and to the extent permitted by Brussels (De minimis 15 000 per farm). For their part farmers have asked for clemency for the administration, for example, identification of dead animals or statements in order to benefit from the CAP.

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Feb 4




A territorial policy of social housing, that is to say building in priority areas in deficit, such is the ambition on Wednesday by Secretary of State for Housing. Two days after the publication of an alarming report of the Fondation Abbé Pierre on poor housing, Benoist Appearing presented the draft state for 2010, namely to contribute up to 4.7 billion euros to finance 140,000 housing, half in Ile-de-France, Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, the zones "tense". The program is ambitious, even by the balance of 2009 when 120,000 housing units were built "three times more than in 2000, the ministry said.

4 billion tax form

But if the Social Union for Housing which manages public housing can not approve a policy that it "calls for two years, is on the question of financing the rub.The state budget provides for the payment of 624 million euros to public housing agencies as aid to the stone. The rest of the state aid-more than 4 billion-will take the form of tax incentives (VAT, property tax, preferential interest rates). "The $ 624 million is less than 660 million euros achieved in 2009, and far from the 800 million budgeted in 2008," laments Pierre Quercy, general delegate of the Social Union for Housing which manages public housing best payday advance . "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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Jan 25




The French have always been more crickets and ants that the crisis has reinforced their distrust of credit. Statistics released yesterday by the FSA, the association of financial companies show a net decline of credit extended by institutions.

Credits distributed to households fell from 13.3% in 2009, which represents the largest drop recorded in 45 years time tracking statistics. In 2008, the decline was 2.8%. Last year, special schools and have provided 38 billion euros of new funds, against 43.8 billion a year earlier.

The downturn that began in autumn 2008 was accelerated until spring 2009 (-12.4% in the first quarter and -18.7% in the second) before slowing down from the was (-16% and -5.5% in the fourth quarter).

These are personal loans which have fallen the most, specialized institutions have distributed 22.8% lower than a year earlier. The revolving loan decreased by 11.2%.

The auto loans are better off: they are down only 4% over the year and jumped over the last two months of the year. The scrapping bonus has pushed the French to change their car which is reflected in the credits: they increased from 15.7% last quarter. Finally, funding of home appliances (consumer electronics and furniture) were melted from 13.3% in 2009.

These figures may be explained by a smaller French appetite for credit, but also by increasing the rate of refusal of certain institutions (Cetelem number one industry in this case) and by increased competition from traditional banking networks.Banks operate more than before because the customer relationship by offering consumer loans. Member firms of the FSA are in fact nearly 60% of consumer credit and almost all renewable credits.

Dec 25




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 retoquée 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.

Dec 22




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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Dec 8




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.

Le Figaro .- Eleven months after taking the helm of DCNS, how do you establish diagnosis of the situation now?

Patrick Boissier

Nov 12




Dark period for producers of solar energy. Q-Cells, one of the world's leading manufacturers of solar cells, reported a loss of nearly 1 billion euros over the first nine months of the year, against a profit of 150 million euros over the same period in 2008. Its turnover in nine months has, meanwhile, fell sharply by 40.9% yoy to 550.3 million euros.

The group Q-Cells said the decline coupled turnover and results by falling prices of photovoltaic cells, a background of economic crisis and increased competition from Chinese manufacturers, which enjoy much lower costs and massive government aid programs.

The Conergy Group, number two German industry has recorded its share down 41% of its sales in the third quarter while its counterpart Phoenix Solar, which specializes in installing solar panels on the roofs of buildings, revised downward its forecast for growth in turnover.

The Chinese group JA Solar is one of those who profit from the current weakness of its European competitors. With a volume of record quarterly shipments, the Asian group could return to profitability in the third quarter.

To adapt to this changing market, Q-Cells, as rival Norwegian Renewable Energy, has already started to transfer Asian part of its production to reduce costs.

Listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, the action Q-Cells lost 3.86% to 10.93 euros in mid-session while Phoenix Solar yielded 4.88% to 35.10 euros.Conergy was also in the red, falling 2.53% to 0.77 euros.

Oct 20




Consultation on priorities for the future that could benefit from the large debt are increasing in all directions. Just last week, the Labor Minister, Xavier Darcos, and his colleague on the Budget, Éric Woerth, has received the social partners to discuss it. Meanwhile, contributions from corporations, professional associations, political parties or departments have been compiled by the government: markets of the future, health, eco responsibility, education, telemedicine, high-speed … all proposals abound.Latest, on Monday: France Biotech, the association of biotechnology companies has suggested that 15 billion euros are earmarked for "life sciences", including research on vaccines or stem cell.

The Head of State himself, in his interview with Le Figaro on Friday 16 October, citing the university, the capital of SMEs, renewable energy, research on the degeneration of cells … The tracks confirmed by one of Co-Chairs of the Committee Juppe Rocard-loaded by the Elysee to reflect the priorities of large loan: "We have four main themes: research, university, broadband and green growth," said Monday the former Socialist Prime Minister to Echoes.

The debate should continue in the coming days. This morning, the UMP will hold a convention devoted to the subject.And this week the Prime Minister, François Fillon, will receive the representatives of political parties to gather their views. It should be against an end of inadmissibility of the first secretary of the PS, Martine Aubry.

Manage investments

Beyond the choice of sectors, the thinking is now entering a second phase. The only Matignon called "governance" of the big loan. In other words, how to manage investments? How to raise private funds for public funds abound? How to ensure the profitability of projects, both in growth and jobs? How to distinguish between projects which receive loans or advances repayable those who will receive grants? This question is not neutral."If public money is abundant private programs, it is legitimate to ask whether companies who will or will not reimburse a part," says one banker who has been heard by the committee.

The other issue to be decided on the terms and amount of the loan. Many people refer to a figure well below the 80 or 100 billion by the Elysee imagined initially. For Christian de Boissieu, President of the Council of Economic Analysis and member of the committee, the critical mass of future debt is between 20 and 60 billion euros. More precise, Michel Rocard evokes, in Les Echos, an amount which shall not "be too far above 30 billion. Additional constraint: since Nicolas Sarkozy announced the principle of the loan at Versailles in June, the bad news accumulated on the public finances.The debt of France should reach the record level of 91% in 2013, according to the latest estimates of Bercy. Finally, the question of opening the loan from individuals and seems well and truly departed yet. Privately, Alain Juppé said he also reluctant to appeal to the public. "We prefer to use a traditional market," confirms Michel Rocard.

The great debt is expected to approach 30 billion euros

Aubry: "For Sarkozy, it's time failures"

Oct 16




Stopping the premium breaks will weigh on the statistics of retail sales in September in the United States. According to figures adjusted seasonally published by the Department of Commerce, they have declined sharply – from 1.5% in September compared to August – with the end of the device, which had boosted the index over the previous two months .

Although this decline is particularly important for a single month, it remains well below a forecast to analysts, who favored a decline greater than 2%. Auto sales, down significantly over the month, of course, have plagued the overall index, with a decrease amounted to 10.4% in September, a figure not seen since August 2005. They had jumped from 7.8% in August as a result of federal incentives to purchase new vehicles.

Excluding the impact of automobiles, retail sales rose 0.5% in September, more than was originally anticipated. A positive number, since they rose for the second consecutive month. Remains that over one year, the situation remains worrying, always accusing sales down 6.6% yoy in the third quarter.

Oct 12




The government wants to encourage companies to early negotiations on stress at work. Introducing an emergency plan after the highly anticipated series of suicides among France Telecom, Xavier Darcos acknowledged that governments had "underestimated" the issue and requested that "each company will grasp the subject." According to a poll released this week, 66% of French assets say they feel more stress in their profession.

Specifically, the Minister of Labor hopes that discussions begin before February 2010 in the 2,500 companies with more than 1,000 employees. He also expects that "either declined the inter-national agreement, signed in late 2008, which aims to" increase awareness and understanding of workplace stress, employers, employees and their representatives. "An initial assessment will be completed in February 2010, said Xavier Darcos to the sides, meeting within the Council guidance on working conditions (COGT).

Denunciations Internet

Even if "nothing is excluded, the appeal of the Minister of Labor is however subject to any affirmative duty, regretted the unions. "The first penalty is transparency," said Xavier Darcos justified. "We publish on the Internet list of companies that have negotiated those who did not negotiate, if any, but I would not recommend, and the results of these negotiations and good practices" to implement, he said."Given the pressure of public opinion, transparency is a very good solution," he still tried.

The government has not provided real steps beyond the business of more than 1,000 employees, hoping that their actions will serve as a model for others. Xavier Darcos however called for "shares information on the psycho-social risks" within the SME and SOHO. "For companies engaged in a process of restructuring, the ministry requires however taking into account psycho-social risks. And a monitoring unit will be established to "coordinate" and "impulsive" actions to prevent stress at work.

These different elements will be incorporated under the Occupational Health Plan to be developed "by the end of 2009."

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