Posts Tagged ‘top news’

Fillon wants to strengthen the Franco-German cooperation

March 30, 2011 - 3:48 pm Comments Off

Nuclear, taxes, competitiveness, reform of the eurozone. Prime Minister Francois Fillon has outlined his vision of Franco-German couple in a double interview with the weekly new plant and Wirtschaftwoche. "We need more coordination and coherence between us, Germans and French, he says. We must encourage convergence (…), without any goal of fusion (…). We have launched an exercise of such taxation. We wish to extend to all aspects of competitiveness. "

Nuclear. France does not follow Angela Merkel's desire to abandon nuclear energy, has made it clear lines between the Prime Minister. Fukushima disaster "raises a debate on nuclear policy," he acknowledges. "We must learn all the lessons to enhance the safety of our park."

Taxation.The example of rapprochement between Paris and Berlin tax should be extended to the entire euro area, defended the prime minister. The Pact for the euro, adopted March 11, said he provides "a real commitment to fiscal coordination" in order to end the "harmful tax practices of certain states." But not to the point of "having a single tax," he says.

Competitiveness. In addition to taxes, Francois Fillon wants to follow the example of German industry. "The industrial competitiveness of Germany is a chance for Europe", he explains. His goal? Make French industry "as competitive as German industry."

Purchasing power. During the last decade, the Germans have made great efforts, particularly in wages, to be more competitive.The Franco-German rapprochement does not mean that the French will make the same sacrifices, has implied François Fillon: "Despite the crisis, we have ensured that the purchasing power is constantly evolving and it will still be the case in 2011 .

Public finances. No question of raising taxes to restore fiscal balance. It should rather decrease spending, repeated the prime minister. Asked about the VAT increase, he said that "the current environment of rising inflation does not lend itself entirely to an increase in VAT. Priority is given to reducing tax loopholes.

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Roommate cons social projects

March 26, 2011 - 10:28 pm Comments Off

Faced with rising rents in France, it becomes difficult for the student accommodation. AFEV (Association of the student foundation for the city), an association of student volunteers who fight against inequalities in income neighborhoods, has been working on this issue. It launched a program that offers student groups, in return for a roommate in very affordable prices, to participate in a common social vision. This program is called KAPS "Koloc A. Projects in solidarity"

In September 2010, the mayor of Toulouse has made available ten students four T3/T4 type apartments, provided they spend a few hours a week in entertainment cultural workshops, or coaching youth in difficulty .Students share the old staff accommodation which the city owns and rents paid monthly CROUS (Regional Centre for University and School) amounted to 272.42 euros (141 to 182 euros after deduction of aid housing). The project is supported by the bank BNP Paribas participant KAPS at € 150,000 and shall be directly liable, allowing students to access at no additional cost to collocations.

Roommate: a method that works

"Although Toulouse was one of the cheapest cities in France, the housing market begins to be saturated," said Stephanie Arnold of the town hall of the "pink city". "An increasing number of students is therefore preferred to collocation. This allows them to make more new friends. "The analysis of the motivations of students, which was conducted among volunteers AFEV shows "both a strong desire to participate in an action 'good' socially and a desire to learn for themselves," says the press release KAPS project.

Furthermore Toulouse, Poitiers and Paris have also tried. Through a partnership with the Foundation AFEV Poitiers University and the social landlord Logiparc, 12 students occupied T4 4 apartments in two districts of Poitiers for a rent amounting to 285 euros each (housing not deducted) same day payday loans. In Paris, five students, including volunteers AFEV are housed in a residence of the Studentenwerk, including three singles and two in collcation in an apartment.In exchange for a rent of 350 to 380 euros per month, they are five hours per week involved in projects in the area of ​​the roundabout of the Chapel, where there is a high concentration of social housing.

Convincing results

In the capital, the city less affordable for students, AFEV, the Studentenwerk and SIEMP (Society of the mixed economy of the city of Paris) work to the lineup from 40 to 50 units dedicated to the roommate. "But we are still awaiting the response of social landlords. Nothing is certain at this stage with regard to these apartments. But we know that CROUS participate in KAPS next year through the apartments and rooms available to students, "Tiffany relativizes Koechlin, territorial delegate AFEV Paris.Laurie Hay, in charge of local development association AFEV Poitiers, gives more otpimistes figures: the number of units for the project KAPS in this city will double the autumn of 2011.

The Toulouse experience so far remains a single case in France, because it is housing, which owns the Town Hall. This facilitates all administrative procedures for obtaining housing and avoid going through intermediary structures. Other cities such as Bordeaux and Perpignan have already started looking for apartments in vacant city in order to transform it into the collocation projects KAPS, according to the association.

The G7 wants to reassure markets on Japan

March 18, 2011 - 7:36 am Comments Off

It is primarily a symbolic gesture of solidarity. Representatives of the G20 participated Thursday in a teleconference to discuss the situation of Japan, without drawing any conclusion. And 23 hours, another conference will bring together finance ministers and central bank governors of G7 countries (U.S., Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Italy and United Kingdom) on the same subject. However, no concrete decision is expected.

This, according to French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, to "see how it reacts on the financial plan." One way to reassure markets that have lost their cool this week. But Japanese Finance Minister, Kaoru Yosano, said that his country is not sufficiently destabilized to a G7 intervention, whether monetary or repurchase shares, or necessary at this time.The IMF is also reassured: "Japan is a rich country that has all the financial resources" to meet the challenges caused by the earthquake of March 11, believes the international monetary institution.

The Bank of Japan injected on Thursday morning, 6,000 billion yen (54 billion euros) into the financial system, raising its market support to 34,000 billion yen (309 billion) since Monday. The course of the yen resist these massive injections of liquidity. After reaching its highest level since World War II, Tuesday night at 76.36 yen to the dollar, the Japanese currency fell slightly yesterday at 78.89 yen, but remained at a very high risk for exports Driving the Japanese economy.If he betrays a repatriation of Japanese capital invested abroad, it can also have a negative impact on the deficit financing of some G7 countries, including the United States easy pay day loans.

Japanese Minister of Economy denies the existence of these remittances, blaming "speculators" betting on a nonexistent movement. But in the eyes of many observers, this move would be real, from the insurance, even if "there is currently no evidence, as outlined in the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.

Agencies reassured

The Tokyo Stock Exchange, which had rebounded 5.6% on Wednesday, went back down, losing 1.44% on Thursday in closing, as most Asian markets, which show, it seems, less confident that the European stock markets, which rebounded 2.20% to 2.43% in Frankfurt and Paris, while Wall Street opened sharply higher, more than 1% after three days of declines.

In Tokyo, threatened by a power outage at a large scale, it is considered too early to make the accounts. Barclays Capital counts the costs of the earthquake between 130 and 150 billion euros, while that AIR Worldwide estimates that $ 34.6 billion (24.6 billion euros) that the check will pay the insurance.

But rating agencies Fitch, Moody's, Standard & Poor's, usually so quick to degrade the troubled country, keep their confidence.Fitch said the "huge savings" of the archipelago. Moody's insists that "Japan is a rich country that has proven in the past that he could recover from a disaster."

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Currencies: investors take more risks

February 22, 2011 - 4:20 pm Comments Off

If the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions have little impact on financial markets, one that shakes Libya far more impact. Tensions in the country, which is one of the largest exporters of oil directly affects the price of gold and black strong impact on European stock exchanges (Paris, London, Frankfurt, Milan, etc..) Asian (the Nikkei has lost nearly 1.8% this morning) and American (the index futures point to sharply lower opening on Wall Street this afternoon).

On the foreign exchange market, concern is also affected. Investors, for whom uncertainty is the worst phobias, put their appetite for risk and protect themselves in the closet. How? By placing their ball in the values called "refuge", such as gold, the dollar or the Swiss franc.In contrast, the euro, it is shunned.

Thus the European currency slipped below $ 1.36 on Tuesday morning, facing a greenback sought. Around 11 am, the euro is trading exactly at 1.3574 dollars, down 0.8%. Strong increase in the foreign exchange market.

According to technical analysis – that is to say, the analysis using only graphics – a bullish retracement could take place if "we manage to hold above this level." Conversely, the break of 1.3540 support to "push the pair to return to the area 1.3430 / 1.3460 dollars," warns XTB.

Outbreak of fever dollar

"Operators now appear in the mainstream during the political uncertainty prevailing in Libya", note analysts from Saxo Bank.The dollar is the first to benefit.

"Then just yesterday the greenback remained stable on its main counterparties, currencies against the U.S. dollar depreciate all": in addition to the euro has risen from about 1.37 to less than 1.36 dolar, the Sterling is currently trading at 1.6140 dollars after fluctuating in a range between 1.6220 and 16240 dollar yesterday during the day. The trend is the same for the Australian dollar loses more than about 80 pips (or 0.0080) against the U.S. dollar during the Asian session: it is trading at 1.0015 dollars against 1.0094 dollars late yesterday evening.

The loonie (Canadian dollar pair / USD) has fluctuated sharply in passing last night of 0.9864 to 0.9821 Canadian dollar before regaining ground this morning at 0.9860.In addition, this pair should know today strong fluctuations during the publication of the retail automotive sector off 0.7% expected in December.

Home insurance: what is retooling to nine?

February 9, 2011 - 4:40 pm Comments Off

Those who have had water damage, fire, theft or other disaster and had to replace nine of their old refrigerator or other device, sometimes surprises to the Taking. The insurer took into account the age of the property to repay, but the seller, it has charged a new device … Where an unwelcome squeeze on the budget of the insured.

Compensation for goods (household appliances, Hi-fi sound, computer and furniture supply) is damaged because of what insurers call in their jargon, the replacement value (or utility value) of the property to date of loss (art L121-1 of the Insurance Code, available on http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr).This leads in practice to 500 euros for a plasma TV to the qualities and characteristics similar to those stolen, for example, given falling prices, even if it was paid € 800 three years ago.

Age, use and maintenance: Parameters draconian

Given the age, use and maintenance of this TV, a factor of obsolescence or discount is applied by the insurer (or expert): If this ratio is 30% for example, the insurer will pay 350 euros (500 euros – 30%). In other words, to buy a device almost identical, there must be 150 euros in his pocket.Hence the value of the option to retrofit nine "(often integrated into high-end contracts) because with it, since the state is" forgotten "in the example above, the compensation would be 500 euros .

All "values" does not apply short term personal loans

Interesting but expensive (the fee rises from 10% to 15% on average), this guarantee has limits. First, insurers leveled the age of standard furniture or equipment involved. Do not expect you to pay a high price for your old furniture. It requires that the aircraft is less than 2 years for the most severe options, which significantly reduces the scope-in this case, it is not necessary to subscribe.The contracts most generous guarantee to open the property for less than 10 years.

Second obligation: we must replace the damaged property, within 6 months, otherwise the compensation is often confined to the use value ….

Finally, there is an overall ceiling of movable guarantee: if it is weak, because initially misjudged or not reassessed over time, compensation will obviously not be total disaster important. Finally, note that the franchise "damages" (100 euros to 300 euros or more, depending on the contract) remains the responsibility of the insured in the absence of a third party.

Finally, a word is a word.Please do not confuse "retrofitting nine" and "replacement cost" alternative sometimes proposed, but at which goods are compensated use value plus a factor for obsolescence … 25% maximum!

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Real estate major cities will burn in 2011

February 3, 2011 - 2:20 am Comments Off

Prices of existing homes in Paris and in historic areas of major French cities are expected to grow by over 10% in 2011 compared with 2010, according to the note of real estate market trends released Wednesday by the Notaries of France.

"The market in central Paris and the historic districts of large cities a province, like Lyon, Nantes, Bordeaux and Montpellier, evolve beyond 10%," write the solicitors in this study "An early 2011 dynamic but then what? ". For these scholars, the sharp rise in prices should also continue in 2011 in the small and large crown in Paris but "but with a change of less than 10% over the year."

Fewer transactions in 2011

In the rest of the province, the increase will be more moderate in 2010, ranging between 3% and 5% are forecasting notaries.According to the National Federation of Real Estate (Fnaim estate agents), prices of existing homes in France are expected to rise 3% to 6% this year after increasing last year's average of 1.5% for all land and a record 15.7% in Paris. In 2010, the real estate market has regained its former volumes of the years between 2000 and 2007, from 590,000 sales in 2009 to nearly 800,000, "real estate investment appears more secure than investment in the financial market" , welcome notaries.

However the number of sales in the former is expected to reach in 2011 a sales volume of less than 2010, they say.Indeed, the tax reform proposed by the government "may cause short-term positions and erratic behavior among some owners vendors, with temporary reduction of risk placed on the market and price pressures."

Among the tracks thrown in as part of the reform of taxation on property, the head of state spoke in mid-January the idea of taxing capital gains realized on the sale of a principal residence, up by tax-free. Rising prices continued early in the first quarter of 2011. Based on preliminary contracts (sale agreement), notaries confirm the estimate of their colleagues in Paris at the end of last year, indicating that the average price of apartments in Paris in the first quarter will exceed the 8,000 euros / m2.In the provinces, mainland prices also rise, particularly in Bordeaux and Rennes (+15% yoy), in Nantes and Lyon (5 to 10%), while Lille and Toulouse know in the first quarter of price stable (0-5%).

(With AFP)

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Strasbourg / Port Bou: "the train should never leave," according to SNCF

January 5, 2011 - 4:36 am Comments Off

To hear Barbara Dalibard recites the series of incidents that have occurred between Srasbourg and Port Bou on the night of December 26 to 27, we feel torn between laughter and amazement.

The CEO of the Travel Trade released the investigation report that the station could look like the train of shame. A delay of more than fifteen hours a night train between Strasbourg and Port Bou, near Perpignan, on which 600 passengers were seated.

First, a simple delay of the train station in Strasbourg. Then wait for more than seven hours at the station in Belfast of a driver from taking over from his predecessor. Then a crash of a B immobilized on the train route. This is just the beginning … The locomotive of the train falls to turn down at Tournus … It must be replaced.

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the graphic.

The analysis of the station is quite simple.The train returned to service in Strasbourg should not have left so that one engine was already showing signs of weakness. "We wanted to move up to train at a time when many passengers were carried on the train because of bad weather. We arive at the limit of the system will do well, should Barbara Dalibard No teletrak payday loan. In fact we would have to cancel the train. Travellers have stayed at the hotel. But it is always a difficult decision. "

The officers of the station felt that the management of passenger both controllers deserved a nod. He also felt they had been particularly quick to offer compensation to customers affected by this delay record."We offered four times the fare," said Barbara Dalibard, which recognizes only two or three passengers sought compensation professionals go beyond.

Ensure that all measures will be implemented so that these incidents do not recur in the aftermath of another incident occurred unbelievable last weekend with a reversal of the destinations for train passengers Montpellier, Rennes and Montpellier-Le Mans. The leaders of the national state that the reliability and production of night trains must be improved and in case of bad weather and disruption, teams will be strengthened. Finally, they promise to accelerate the implementation of the management of clients, supply clear box meals, dishes and baby exchange.

Guillaume Pepy, SNCF president, presents his wishes Thursday. That the Black Series makes a break …

Free refuses to pay a tax on its box

December 22, 2010 - 7:40 pm Comments Off

Freebox Revolution continues to make waves. But in the culture industry, this time. Concerned, the refusal of the operator to perform now the tax on private copying, which the "boxes" are normally subject. "Free to pay. Otherwise it will end in court, threatened on Wednesday morning in Les Echos, the director of the Civil Society of Phonographic Producers (SCPP), Marc Guez.

The private copying levy is a system of financing income (182 million euros in 2009) are paid to the areas of music and audiovisual sectors, hit by downloading pirate. It was first applied to blank CDs, and was extended to a wide variety of products which can be copied legal works, such as iPods, USB sticks, and recently the shelves. The "box" operators, equipped with a hard drive, did not escape.Including previous Freebox.

With its impressive 250 GB hard drive, the newest member of the Free should have been taxed at 35 euros, more than 10% of the cost of its production cost, estimated at 300 euros. But according to the operator, the Freebox Revolution is not a "box" like the others. Its hard drive is a standalone file server, a NAS. However, such material is exempt from tax, when certified to "work together with at least three operating systems (see pdf).

"We respect the texts"

This exception was introduced in October, was intended to tax only the NAS models purchased by individuals, simpler, saving professionals low fee cash advance. But Free has had time to adapt to these new rules. According to the operator, the Freebox works well with at least three operating systems, and should not be taxed."We continue of course to respect the statutes governing private copying," says Maxime Lombardini at Les Echos, CEO of Iliad, the parent of Free.

For Free, the economy would be $ 17.5 million for 500,000 Freebox Revolution. Its competitors, who have not integrated file server in their "box", can not imitate him. They had to use cunning. To limit the size of the tax, SFR voluntarily restrained the hard drive of his new Neufbox Evolution. Of the 200 GB theoretically available, only 40 GB are available by default. If they want more storage capacity, customers must pay 15 euros in increments of 80 GB

The preferential treatment of the Freebox Revolution could not however have a limited time. The basis of the fee for private copying is regularly adjusted to match the new practices.Meanwhile, Free has cultivated his image as a troublemaker of the Internet. As he did in refusing to send the first warning messages Hadopi, while also stating at the time that he respected the law.

Pepy: "Social conflict has been devastating for the freight

November 5, 2010 - 12:20 pm Comments Off

"Forty lines (…) kept and modernized." Nicolas Sarkozy, on the road to Troyes on Thursday announced the signing between the state and SNCF an agreement for the benefit of interregional trains, those who are neither TER nor TGV. The agreement helps balance the exploitation of the activity. As those concluded with the regions, for example with the Ile-de-France for of the contract includes a bonus-malus system, conditioned upon compliance by the SNCF terms of quality of service, including a ponctualité.Dans interview with Le Figaro, Guillaume Pepy, the chairman of the public company, detailing the agreement. It also returns for the first time on the national social conflict that has affected the accounts and operations of the station without this time, the "block".Hats off, therefore the minimum service.

LE FIGARO – What is the purpose theINTERINSTITUTIONAL on interregional trains parNicolas Sarkozy announced yesterday?

Guillaume Pepy – The President today marked the commitment of the State to sustain a public service, vital to the balance of the territory, which was threatened because he was not funded. I applaud the work of the Directorate General for Transport and Department of Ecology has resulted in this folder "encysted" for twenty years. We are talking about 340trains serving 370 cities through 40 French lines that carry 100,000 people daily. For these intercity trains, we conclude a contract with the State shall, on the existing base, port, frequencies and equipment. Funding of 210 million euros, equivalent to the current operating deficit, will be included in the draft budget law 2011.It includes a tax on the motorway companies (35 million), a tax on the outcome of the SNCF (75 million) and another on the turnover of the TGV (100 million). The fact that this activity is now profitable will be ambitious state plans to hire 300millions euros over three years to upgrade equipment, whose average age is 40 years, before a purchase program trains New from 1 to 2 billion euros from 2015. For the station, this project is that of a new generation of public service, offensive and stronger than ever.

The contribution of the TGV will she passed on to ticket prices? Will you also get the freedom to set prices that you claim to public authorities?

That contributes to the TGV trains balance of the territory is logical and expresses a form of solidarity between regions. Those serviced by the TGV enjoy a real plus.However the TGV can not go anywhere. Of course, prices should reflect costs of service, and we'll see what the impact in the development of tariffs in January 2011. By the end of the year, we should indeed have cordoned off the discussion, not on the total pricing freedom, but on the relaxations that appear necessary instant payday loans. Already we are starting from a shared diagnosis of the economic situation of the branch train.

Our goal is that the TGV is still popular, which is a French specificity that we are proud. Therefore, for example, to make "positive discrimination" to the families, for which the car can sometimes seem cheaper than the TGV, especially if one excludes from the calculation of the purchase price of the vehicle. Thus we will fulfill more of our trains.And profitability of the industry depends on this criterion provided that the tolls we pay to RFF must also be reasonable …

What was the cost of conflict on Pensions for the SNCF? Your earnings target for 2010 is positive he questioned?

We can definitely quantify the cost of the conflict in mid-November, but it should be around 10 million euros a day of strike. It is too early to discuss what our results in 2010, already affected by the strike of two weeks of spring, but it is certain that our leeway for 2011 will be reduced accordingly. However, what we can say today is that this conflict has been devastating for freight, not only for the station but for the thirteen operators of this profession in France. For seventeen days of strike, between one third and half of the freight trains could only travel.Switching stations remained closed, preventing delivery of factories, warehouses … The consequence is that the rail has lost the confidence of shippers, customers. It's alarming. If rail freight is not reliable, we can not achieve the goal of transferring more transport from road to rail.

And passenger side …

The strike followed a long and strong among train crews, was fireproof minimum service. And the station has won: the minimum service is also "renewable"! The right to strike was respected and the right to transport was provided. We managed, and customer surveys we prove to be present alongside the passengers and many of the administrative staff is down at the station during this period for this purpose. We have made information widely available and reliable every day for the next day.So much so that we have lessons to learn the information and assistance to customers on a daily basis.

Alstom has again criticized Thursday and attacked before different authorities, the contract between Eurostar, 55% owned subsidiary of SNCF, and Siemens for the supply of high-speed trains. Cecontrat should it be maintained?

I understood that both French and British governments have seized the issue of safety in the tunnel for trains new generation proposed by the manufacturers, that is to say, distributed power. Let them work!

EDF offers two tracks to Constellation

October 14, 2010 - 9:04 pm Comments Off

After the "surprise" and "consternation", EDF seeks to untangle the knot. Last Saturday, EDF learned that its U.S. partner Constellation withdrew the proposed EPR at Calvert Cliffs 3 United States. Wednesday night, the French tried to resume dialogue with the U.S., with whom relations are strained since Constellation said it wanted to exercise an option to sell assets that could cost up to two billion dollars to EDF.

In a letter sent to Michael Wallace, CFO of Constellation, EDF writes that he is ready to take on his own, until the start of the project, all risks and expenses associated with the Calvert Cliffs site.

Another track sketched redemption from Constellation in Unistar (their joint venture), with the possibility of involving another U.S. partner in the project.

Whatever path chosen by the U.S. EDF asked not to exercise this option, which constisterait for EDF to buy plants that have lost significant value since the negotiation of this clause in 2008.

The short answer to Constellation

In response to this letter, Constellation issued a statement of two lines. First idea: Constellation is ready to discuss. Second, EDF must "respect its commitment to fully honor its contractual obligations."

Provided on the site of Calvert Cliffs, this was the only project being developed as part of Unistar company, EDF and Constellation hold together, while French was last year's four nuclear reactors to new generation EPR United States, with an initial operation late 2015.

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