Mar 11




In the 2000s, they are scooters that are purchased in groups at the lowest price possible on clust.com. For several months, cosmetics and sunglasses sold off at bargain prices to compete for the Internet on sites like Groupon Dealissime or who provide promotional offers provided to achieve a minimum number of buyers.

And soon, the mechanics of buying community will also afford the houses. That, at least the bet made by Serge Benichou, founder of the social network of real estate businesses-urban profil.com. He plans to hold from 14 March to 14 April 1 internet sales of a Parisian building of 850 sqm in bulk purchase.This should kick off a sustainable supply, called GroupUP, whose mission is "to enable groups of buyers or investors to buy a whole and simultaneously a property," says the organizer in a statement.

His project is not the first bulk purchase unusual: in the online banking Monabanq, the rate of pay on savings and varies depending on the number of subscribers, and Capital Games, bunch of video game companies to Ile-de-France, organized the bulk purchase of market research.

Feb 28




It's in a week, according to our information, that Switzerland will provide the Paris prosecutor's office the result of letters rogatory requested to check whether two of the three executives on suspicion of espionage and licensees have received money in accounts in that country , as stated by the manufacturer. Whether or not an account on behalf of a third part will Liechtenstein, it was announced in three weeks.

While executives say they are innocent and that Renault has never provided any evidence of their guilt, doubts grow about the strength of the charges. Matthieu Tenenbaum, former deputy director of the Electric Vehicle program, would not account for the Zürcher Kantonalbank, according to information transmitted orally by the Paris prosecutor in Switzerland, according to sources close to the investigation corroborating information from Duck chains.The prosecution, however, expected a written document to confirm this information.

Already, people close to the investigation believe more and more likely that Renault has been the victim of a scam. The group's management, who pounded his "certainties" about the guilt of executives, has become less categorical. "We are awaiting the results of letters rogatory. Let us have been victims of espionage or fraud and, in this case, someone wanted that separates these three people, "said one headquarters.

When the results of investigations bank will be known, two scenarios are possible. Is a frame (or several) to an account abroad: it will be heard by the police for "violation of trade secret." Either there is nothing, and the investigation will turn to Renault, to understand how the fraud has occurred.Management will face justice for his decision to dismiss managers without real evidence, while internal investigators asked for an extension.

Mysterious informant

In this case, the group should also give explanations on the methods used by his security service, which seems to have used a mysterious informant located in Belgium for information transmitted orally. In the case of fraud, false information could have been made either by that means, either by the security service itself. The whole question would then know for what purpose.

Another source of interrogation, the letter of layoff provided to three frames based on two elements: the supposed existence of bank accounts abroad and the letter of denunciation received in August. However, reading this letter is perplexing."In May this year, I saw Mr. Michel Balthazard negotiate a jar of wine, claiming that if Bob Bell, F1, would profit from it too wanted to enjoy it and feed his bank account. He added: "During another conversation, he spoke of the" little kid who works with Koskas (Matthew Tenenbaum, Ed), who understands how it works to fill his bank account. He concluded: "Of course, I have no proof, of course, is the accusation, but I do not care.I can not stand to see people fly properly paid more money. "Where are the" technical term that has tilt, "and" converging evidence "that had led the manufacturer to take this letter seriously" ? "How can we launch an investigation on the basis of such a letter? Is it credible that the crow was able to see my client negotiate before him a jar of wine? "Asks Mr. Thouvenin, one of the lawyers of Michel Balthazard.

If the case should be "pschitt, the consequences would be disastrous for the group's image.And the credibility of its chief executive, Carlos Ghosn, who spoke after evidence "multiple" on TF1, asked two weeks ago it still "trust" because "tens of people have analyzed the facts."

The alliance with Nissan could evolve

Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault-Nissan, will examine the capital structure of the alliance to improve the balance between the two manufacturers. "We will review the financial structure, not for reaching a merger (…) but to answer the main concern of investors who say" maybe you use too much capital for your financial structure, '"said Dual CEO Reuters. Renault owns 43.4% of Nissan, which in turn owns 15%.Moribund when Renault came into its capital in 1999, the Japanese now weighs more than twice the French stock exchange.

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Feb 23




Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the graphic.

Europe stands on Wednesday a review of measures taken in December 2008 in favor of the 23 million SMEs which employ over 90 million people and represent over 67% of private sector jobs in the European Union. This initiative called Small Business Act aims to promote the access of firms employing fewer than 250 employees in finance, public procurement, to accelerate their implementation internationally, to simplify the relations with the administrations and encourage the 'entrepreneurship.

But it is more about principles of binding provisions such as those established by the Americans since 1953.Despite the absence of a genuine European Action Plan, progress has been made for two years because the crisis has encouraged governments to help small businesses hit hard by the economic and financial difficulties. They have lost nearly 3,250,000 jobs.

France has, for example, reduces payment times, eliminated the business tax – two decisions that apply to all businesses – and established the regime autoentreprenor since 1 January 2009. A move welcomed by Brussels. France, like Poland, Ireland and Iceland have established programs to encourage women to become entrepreneurs. These actions allow us to be in the European average and to beat Germany in the field of entrepreneurship.

Countries to reduce administrative procedures.France will hold in a few weeks the foundation for simplification to facilitate relations between the state and the bosses. Germany has made significant progress in betting on the Internet. But it remains in the EU average with a period of 18 days to start a business in seven days against 13 days in France and Britain. Italy has made significant efforts cons in this area by focusing on IT. Just one day to the Italians to create their company since April 2010. Spain has reduced both the time to start a company (17.5 days against 29 days previously) and registration costs (115 euros against 617 euros). Result, the average time in Europe to develop his company is more than 7 days against 12 days in 2007.The costs of this approach has fallen into the same time to 399 euros against 485 euros.

Progress

Several measures have been taken both in the funding of internationalization. Austria launched in 2008 a grant from the transmission business. The Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Portugal and other countries including France encourage the internationalization of SMEs.

Despite progress, Brussels has decided to continue to steam. "SMEs are the engine of the European economy. They must be strong, competitive and innovative. States must act quickly so that the Small Business Act to be translated into facts, "said Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship.He hoped that SMEs remain a priority for Europe in the coming years because they are the ones who create jobs.

Feb 21




If, on the political front, he has decided to maintain the suspense, the director general of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dominique Strauss-Kahn did not go around the bush to discuss the global economic crisis. "Considerable progress is being made, [...], but they are much too slow, we are far from", says in an interview face to readers of Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France published Monday.

The crisis in Europe

As the world tries to get out somehow this economic and financial crisis, Dominique Strauss-Kahn warned, using its ambiguous wording. "You mouth holes but others are created. The act of drawing lessons does not guarantee that we will prevent all future crises. This is what is most worrisome, "he warns.

This does not preclude the IMF Managing Director to distribute good points."All of Asia is distributed, also Latin America, with the same risk of overheating," he says. Even Africa is complimented: "Africa is rather better," says DSK. However, if "Europe has avoided the catastrophe," it off again more slowly and it may last. Missing from the euro zone it has not since the beginning: more coordinated economic policies, "he says. And for that, he insists that "the States to waive part of their sovereignty. However, fashion is not so much to have more Europe today …».

"The euro

"There has not really had a crisis of the euro as its currency." Unsurprisingly, the IMF Managing Director supports the European currency, while some are calling for the abandonment of the euro. "A vast deception," he says.The countries that come out of the euro area would lose much of the confidence necessary for a good economic situation. "

For DSK, banks are as responsible as those who were to supervise "and did not the police." Thus, in regulating the banking sector, he lamented that the good will of the states have not been implemented. "What I find shocking is that banks today have returned to practice before the current crisis, including pay and bonus, he offended. Me, I heard some politicians say "never again". Result: The bonus came back as before. "Bad points for France or the United States, which claimed the control of a bonus in banks of their warhorses.

"The 35 hours

On social issues such as 35 hours, retirement or tax on capital, Dominique Strauss Kahn was less talkative.

About 35 hours, he recalls that "it is a historical process that is due to improvements in productivity and should be considered at the scale of life." He added: "Overall, the long-term time employment is still a downward trend in all developed countries," he says.

"Retirement

Regarding retirement, he confirms what he said on France 2 last May ("Retirement at age 60 is not a dogma")."If life continues to grow, we can not hold with fewer people working to pay the pensions of more and more people," he replies to other members of his party, the Party Socialists, with whom he disagrees on this issue. Without taking a position on the reform undertaken by the government, it simply states that "the purpose of a pension system is that it be fair to those who worked longer or shorter time, under conditions more or less difficult and just vis-à-vis assets.

"The tax on capital

Finally, while asserting that "the IMF has no vision on the TFR French," he recalls "the need for taxes on income, consumption and wealth. The more we diversify the sources of direct contributions, the more likely it is to be fair. "

Feb 7




This could be a consequence of the reform of the taxation of wealth: higher taxes on capital gains realized on the sale of stocks, bonds, mutual funds. That is to say capital gains securities. Millions of French are so concerned, because the famous transfer threshold below which households could escape taxation is removed.

Through 2010, individuals who were making less than 25,830 euros in sales per year paid no tax on capital gains. Suffice to say that the exemption was the rule, most 5 to 6 million small shareholders selling for less than 25,830 euros per year. According to statistics presented by the Bercy parliamentary working group to consider the tax reform, only 153,000 households in 2009 paid a tax on their gain security.Only this small number of households has actually suffered the latest increases in taxes and social charges (the puncture from 29% of a capital gain in 2008 to 31.3% in 2011).

Starting this year, the tax is general, whatever the amount of the transfer. The department wrote himself in his paper presented to the Working Group: Due to this measure, "the number of taxpayers is expected to increase dramatically."

In this context, the temptation of some lawmakers to increase taxes on securities concern. "To finance the tax reform of heritage, it must, among other things, raise the draw in excess of 31.3%, advocates centrist MP Charles de Courson.An option also defended by the UMP Michel Piron that even considering that capital gains are taxed at the tax schedule on income, the marginal rate scale which rises to 41%.

Unfavorable to these solutions, Gilles Carrez, the rapporteur UMP budget to the Assembly, calls him for not coming into force of an advantage to come: "It is anticipated that from 2012, capital gains securities held for six years and older receive a discount of one third each year. This amounts to a total exemption in 2014. Remove this device that destroyed the tax base. "

The horizon darkens

Nothing is decided yet. "But these trial balloons are concerned about our customers. The French fiscal instability is a real problem, "says Cyril Valentin, a lawyer at Freshfields."For the wealthy, the issue of tax exile arises again," adds Sandy Quilici, director of engineering heritage to the bank Pictet. And for good reason. Always according to statistics from Bercy, stocks, bonds and other social rights represent between 67% and 68% of the assets of 100 000 French richest (by income or wealth).

Certainly, there is exemption scheme which does not seem threatened: the leaders selling their shares for SMEs to retire. "But the conditions for benefit are numerous, so this exemption is far from covering all cases. And especially not that of young entrepreneurs, "says Nicolas Leclercq, a tax credit to the North. In short, for most, the horizon may darken.

Dec 8




"To boost competition, it must release the independent stores very strong constraints that bind them to their headend, so they can more easily change their sign," said the Authority.

The latter had AutoInput in February, several issues relating to food distribution. She points to the contractual provisions of franchise networks, designed to "secure" shops to ensure parks to maintain their market share and recoup their investments: the non-compete clauses prevent franchisees from engaging in an activity Food in a given area; priority rights restrict the possibilities of redemption of stores by competitors; stacks of conventions (affiliation agreements, supply contracts …) make it de facto impossible for an affiliate to change sign.

Another practice condemned: the freezing of property by a distribution group, which is to secure the premises or land without using it to prevent competitors from moving.

Recognizing the omerta that prevails in the sector, the Competition Authority wants to blow the lock time limitation commitments for franchisees to five years, while today they can go up to thirty years. She also advocates the prohibition of human first. Although its opinions are not binding, the Authority invites distributors to change their practices within a year, otherwise she would advocate for legislative intervention."His pronouncements are likely to be followed by group affiliations," said Frédéric Fournier, RedLINK partner of the firm.

Challenge Casino

All distributors are included: integrated groups (Carrefour, Casino) who have franchise networks, but also groups of independent (Leclerc and Systeme U Intermarché). The Authority refers both oligopolies in hypermarkets as local shops, which remains largely in the hands of Carrefour and Casino. This already challenging vision of the Authority. In any case in Paris. "His calculation adds a lot of different things, says a spokesman for Casino. With other methods of calculation, it is far from 60%. "The group, which believes the problem is primarily explained by the high cost of land, also think that there is still potential.

Dec 4




Orange after a few days ago, it's time to sell the SFR Ipad in its stores. The iPad + WiFi, 3G, 16 GB is today at the online store for pre-order SFR and December 10 in stores SFR from EUR 179.90.

To receive this highly competitive rate, customers will have to meet two conditions. First, subscribe to the new box Neufbox Evolution of SFR. Second, purchase a package shelf iPad "Internet Absolute + 39.90 euros per month for the first 12 months and then falling to 34.90 euros per month. These prices are for a 24-month commitment. Any consumer already a customer of SFR (fixed or mobile) receiving a 10% discount on the package price each month. This package allows you to surf the internet freely 24h/24h and 7d/7d, with throughput up to 7.2 Mb / s.Throughput is reduced – but not cut – beyond 3GB of changed data per month.

Customers who do not wish to subscribe to Neufbox Evolution iPad will buy 100 euros more, or 279.90 euros, the package simply by subscribing to "Absolute + Internet".

For those who find it too expensive package, Vodafone offers a more economical package blocked. Thus, customers can acquire the iPad to 379.90 euros if they take a pass blocked at 26.90 the first 12 months then 21.90 a month. This package is also under 24-month commitment, and has a 10% discount for consumers who are already customers of SFR. This package is stuck at 1GB per month exchange.

On the Apple Store, the apps are already available SFR: SFR TV, but also neufbox SFR SFR WiFi that allows access to more than 3 million wireless access points throughout France. SFR customers thus gaining the largest WiFi network in France.

Nov 28




When Marcel Ospel has moved from Basel to Wollerau, five years ago, the amount of tax has been halved. To lower their bill, the former president of UBS did not need to go to the Bahamas, it was enough to make a hundred kilometers to change the township.

In fiscal terms, the Swiss Confederation in fact applied the principle of cantonal sovereignty. With few exceptions – such as VAT – twenty-six cantons are free to choose which tax rates apply to household incomes. A competitive situation which has prompted several of them to make extremely low rates to attract wealthy. It is precisely this "dumping" that criticizes the Swiss Socialist Party, originally a popular initiative, "For fair taxes," which will be voted on tomorrow by the Confederates.

"We demand a minimum tax rate for people earning more than 250,000 francs per year (190,000 euros, Ed), says the president of the PS, Christian Levrat. Even with this measure, high incomes would be taxed at 38% maximum, which is still ten points below the rates that prevail in France, Germany and Italy. "

Less than 10% tax

The canton of Schwyz, located north of Confederation, was particularly targeted by the initiative: to Wollerau Freienbach or sitting on the edge of Lake Zurich, the fortunes of 10% pay less tax. According to local press, these communities are real "tax havens", compared to rates four times higher practiced in the Francophone regions of the country, particularly in the Jura.In 2005, the canton of Obwalden had gone even further by voting for the establishment of a regressive tax, whose rate decreases as income increases. This measure was declared unconstitutional in June 2007 by the Federal Court. Deprived of this action, the Germanic cantons have opted for undercutting tax, with convincing results. In 2006, for example Schwyz were 327 people whose taxable annual income exceeds a million francs (more than 700,000 euros), compared to only 106 in 2000.

The wealthy French are they concerned by the initiative? "They are not likely to live in Wollerau or Freienbach, said Pierre-Marie Glauser, Professor of Tax Law at the University of Lausanne.But if passed, it would be a revolution of fiscal federalism in Switzerland. "This project will reduce our competitiveness," says tax lawyer Kenel. "Tax competition has advantages because it encourages the districts to control their spending "says Pierre-Marie Glauser. His detractors, they complained about the fact that competition undermines "national solidarity" and it allows to enjoy the richest urban infrastructure while living on the periphery.

Oct 30




In Portugal, the government and the opposition finally reached an agreement Saturday on the budget for 2011, marked with the seal of the rigor and necessary to restore as quickly as market confidence. Pledging to abstain from voting on Wednesday of this project, the Portuguese opposition ends several weeks of impasse that has raised fears of a financial crisis and political crisis. In late September, the Socialist Prime Minister Jose Socrates had even hinted that he might resign if the budget is rejected.

Negotiations that took place under pressure from investors as the European Union. In late September, the Portuguese rate in the wake of the obligations Irish had indeed reached peaks, exceeding 6.5%. The markets just sanction the government's inability to contain the slippage in public finances, amid sluggish economic growth.Beyond the 7% interest, the finance minister warned in mid-October that Portugal would be forced to resort to using Twenty-seven, in the image of Greece a few months earlier.

To fulfill the commitment made by Jose Socrates of Portugal to reduce the deficit of 7.3% of GDP this year to 4.6% in 2011, the draft budget to impose many sacrifices to Lusitano. Among these measures, a VAT increase of two percentage points to 23% cuts of 5% to 10% in salaries of civil servants, a questioning of tax deductions on health spending, education or housing …

A vote on first reading of the budget is scheduled on Wednesday in Parliament.

Oct 22




BIOMERIEUX group said Friday it lowered its target to 4.5% annual growth in organic sales (cons 6% previously), because of the "persistence of the economic downturn" in health in Europe West and North America.

The group has however confirmed its annual target of an operating margin of between 17 and 18% at constant exchange rates.

"In Western Europe and North America, conditions in the field of health continued to deteriorate," commented CEO Stephane Bancel said in a statement guaranteed pay day loans.

In the third quarter, bioMérieux has recorded a turnover of 333 million euros, up 8.9%. But at constant exchange rates, sales growth was 1.1% only.In Europe, Middle East and Africa, growth of group sales rose 3.7% over this period, up just 0.9% at constant currency and perimeter.

In North America, the group even recorded a decline in organic sales of -2.8%, which is an increase of 8.8% as reported.

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