Posts Tagged ‘usa’

The Portuguese caught in the spiral of debt

June 3, 2011 - 1:24 am Comments Off

On Thursday morning, Veronica has resigned to go through the door of Deco, the charity for families in debt. "To keep a little dignity and do not lose your head," the young woman slips, looking weary. At age 41, mother of a boy of 7 years, Veronica is unemployed, as her husband who had to close its microenterprise. Riddled with debt, the couple has any income to EUR 400 for unemployment benefits, for 2500 euros in charges refund! They have no less than ten credits on the arms: property, auto, personal, card purchase … not to mention the liability of the company, social security arrears and income tax. Today, Veronica sees no alternative but to initiate insolvency proceedings. "To start over, she hopes.All our goods will be confiscated, it will be under supervision of a director for five years, but then finished the debts, they will be erased. "

A little behind, hidden behind thick glasses, square Pedro feverishly bothers her phone number. If using Deco is an attempt to renegotiate two loans: a consumer loan of 8500 euros contracted with Cofidis and a mortgage of 15,000 euros to the Central Fund deposits that could not pay despite the sale of his house in August 2010."I look forward to rescheduling or pay only the interest, time to recover."

The difficulties for this young professor began after the dismissal of his wife in 2009 and in January he has lost 200 euros from his salary, the first result of government austerity measures, so that today his income does not exceed 1,500 euros, to pay a rent of 650 euros, ongoing expenses and academic studies of her two children. "We can not do it. It has sought help from family, but it's hard for everyone, the quadra confesses. For the first time in my life, I went to the food bank. "

Examples such as Pedro or Veronica, the association received more than twenty per day, not counting the numerous letters bad credit unsecured personal loans.They are between 30 and 45, they are engineers, professors, lawyers, employees … a simple high school education or higher, an average income of 1,500 euros, an average of five credits in their passive but often much more. In 2010, Deco has received 17,372 applications, twice more than in 2008, owing much to job loss.

Cumulative effect

Natalia Nunes, head of the division of debt, also denounced the irresponsibility of financial institutions, which for years have opened the floodgates of credit, facilitated by attractive interest rates, but also households who, " lack of financial education, have left illusions. "The illusion with the entry into the European Union is to have grown to become a rich country. Credit is very recent in Portugal, it dates from 1990.It was a real revolution in a country of culture rather closed, "says Natalia.

Result, in 2009, according to the Bank of Portugal, the rate of household debt amounted to more than 130% of their disposable income. And for Natalia, for sure, the problem will intensify in the coming months with the recession and the restrictive measures imposed by the IMF-EU agreement. "There will be a cumulative effect between the abolition of tax relief, cuts in welfare, freezes wages and pensions, rising prices and interest rates," explains the manager. Ironically, this makes the success of collection companies. "It would create a weekly basis. They are there to exert psychological pressure, they even go to the neighbors, "denounces Natalia. On the mode of cobrador do fraque (collector habit), a local tradition in which the collector, dressed in black coat, says his victim …

Real Estate: Paris exceed 8,000 euros per m² in June

April 29, 2011 - 1:44 pm Comments Off

In real estate, Paris is not France. So goes the refrain sung Thursday by the Higher Council of Notaries. In the capital, in fact, prices never stop rising. Last year, the increase was 17.5% and per square meter was worth, on average, 7330 euros in old housing. The boom continued in early 2011. "From December 2010 to February 2011, prices rose 5.2%, says Mr. Thierry Delesalle, president of the real estate commission of notaries in the Ile-de-France. In twelve month rolling period, from June 2010 to June 2011, we will not be far from the 20% increase. "Soon, the ceiling of 8,000 euros per square meter in Paris will be reached.

Relying on the promises of sales in the first quarter of 2011 signed, notaries believe the square meter in Paris will average 8,028 euros in June. This will rise to 15,500 euros in even the most expensive neighborhood in the capital, the Champs-Elysees.And this movement does not seem ready to break if we are to judge by the large number of transactions: first quarter in Ile-de-France, they rose 16%.

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the graphic.

Fewer foreigners in Paris

Contrary to popular belief, foreigners are not responsible for the rampant price increases because they are less active than before the Paris market: last year, they accounted for 6.5% of buyers against 7.6% in 2009. The result? "We should see the price differences widen between areas traditionally preferred properties such as Paris and those economically disadvantaged in which a decrease has already been committed," said Pierre Bazaille, president of the Institute for Notarial real estate guaranteed online payday loans. In fact, in the province, the changes are more chaotic.Overall, prices have also increased but less dramatically than in Paris. They set up in 2010 by 4.7% for older apartments and 10% for houses. But since early this year, the situation is contrasted by areas or cities.

In Lille, for example, home prices fell 6% to 170,000 euros on average in Bordeaux, one of the apartments has decreased by 1%. Less than 3% also for apartments in Rennes, where the square meter is now worth 2212 euros. On the other hand, for apartments, in Brest, the price per square foot rose by 7% to 1527 euros per square meter. The increase is more limited but very real (+3%) in Lyon, where the square meter is 3102 euros.

Difficult, with that, whether property prices will rise or decline this year in France. According to Mr. Pierre Bazaille, the trend towards a higher but moderate (between 0 and 3%).A development that will depend on exogenous factors such as rising interest rates on mortgages or advertisements referring to the SP in its program the rent freeze.

ALSO READ:

A mansion in Paris on sale for 100 million

The rent control: a false good idea

Property: price increases slowed in Ile-de-France

Hermes wants to sell its shares in the Jean-Paul Gaultier

April 2, 2011 - 4:56 pm Comments Off

Changes to the capital in the Jean-Paul Gaultier. Hermes acknowledged Friday in a terse statement, it was in talks to sell its 45% stake in fashion house, without naming names. In addition, the group does not specify whether this item is a part or all of its shares.

Entered the capital of Jean-Paul Gaultier in 1989, Hermes has recently distanced himself from the fashion house. A few months after the death of Jean-Louis Dumas, Jean-Paul Gaultier has indeed been replaced by Christophe Lemaire at the head of the Hermes collection ready-Wear he drew for seven years. "No synergy has been cleared between the two companies," says Les Echos published on Friday.

The house Jean-Paul Gauthier seeks to raise funds to finance its development, also understands Les Echos.The lighthouse designer, owner of the remaining 55% stake, has a mandate to store consultancy M & Finance Aforge for "a mission of reflection on strategic developments of the group.

Hermes, PPR and foreign groups in the breach

Among the options considered, the designer might also, lowering its stake but it should keep the artistic direction of the house he founded in 1982. French houses as PPR might be interested, according to Les Echos, but also foreign groups that would facilitate the strengthening of the brand internationally, particularly in Asia.

Recovery discussed

The valuation of the house Gauthier is discussed: from tens of millions and hundreds of millions.The house would have recorded a total turnover of 22.5 million euros in 2009, a fall of 19% over the previous year. The decline was particularly strong internationally (-31%). The house has recorded an operating loss of 3.6 million euros, against a weak positive result of EUR 271 645 in 2008.

ALSO READ:

"Wake timid fashion" Made in France "

"Hermes separates from Jean Paul Gaultier

"The therapeutic effects of fashion

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."

ALSO READ:

"Nuclear power: rating agencies worried

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)

ALSO READ:

Property: The credit always more expensive in January

"More than 10 million poor housing in France

"Building permits rose 15% in 2010

Ingenico redemption is always possible

December 21, 2010 - 3:44 pm Comments Off

The case Ingenico is far from closed. The administrator of the world's leading manufacturer of payment terminals, Allan Green, who stepped into the breach on BFM radio waves on Tuesday to defend an "amicable settlement which does not in any way affect the interests of France and Ingenico employees. The record, however, seemed to have found its epilogue on Sunday night. After a board of directors, the French group had indeed sent a plea in a bid that valued the group at 1.44 billion euros, 28 euros per share. According to several sources, this offer came from the U.S. group Danaher.

A refusal would have been decided largely under government pressure. The state is a shareholder at 30% of aerospace equipment and electronics Safran himself largest shareholder of Ingenico."The government is fully aware of the strategic nature of this business for the French electronics industry, has also said Monday on LCI Industry Minister Eric Besson, about Ingenico. For Allan Green, the "strategic character" of the activities of Ingenico are qualified. Of particular note is that biometrics, cited as sensitive segment, accounted for a marginal share of turnover of the group, adding that the issue of strategic interest Ingenico had been raised for the first time that on the eve the weekend.

Strategic interest to qualify

Therefore, according to the director, the sale is not abandoned and a buyout is possible. "I understand that the acquirer's interest is real. That interest is motivated by a strategy which would enable Ingenico to go even further and faster, "he argued on BFM Radio.And this, especially since the offer made by a U.S. group. "The fact that this is an American is not neutral. Today, Ingenico has difficulty actually pierce the U.S. market, "said Allan Green.

If he wanted quiet, the revival of economic patriotism causes quite a stir. Like Eric Besson, Chairman of the Group of Industrial Federations (GFI) and the Federation of Electrical, Electronic and Communication (FIEEC), Pierre Gattaz, said Monday on Radio BFM as biometrics and transactions Secure Electronic were "a very important area of sovereignty to France low fee payday loans." He said "a bit of economic patriotism in that area" is "normal." The industry minister said Tuesday, however, told AFP he had not ruled out the entry of investors in the capital of Ingenico.But "the issue of encryption, signal processing is an important issue, sensitive to every nation," stressed Eric Besson.

The Adam judge the case "troubling"

Colette Neuville, president of the Association for the Defence of Minority Shareholders (Adam), "we see very little light in this operation and many questions arise." She told the Echo that it had sent a letter "by the end of the year" on the board of Ingenico, to see if there was no lack of information among shareholders. "It's troubling, especially since Friday night, the course stopped at 27.59 euros, and we got an offer to 28 euros from the candidate's resume," said Colette Neuville au business daily. She asked as to whether the "real reason for blocking" is the "government's position."If so, she wonders, "does that mean he Ingenico is a company that is not competition to apply?" A possibility that it believes the company should have "clear" .

In addition, Colette Neuville said it would ask the Financial Markets Authority (AMF) to investigate the change in share price in recent months Ingenico. The current manufacturer of payment terminals has jumped 25% in three months and more than 50% since the beginning of the year. On Monday, following the refusal of the bid, the action Ingenico closed in fall of 5.58%, to 26.05 euros. Around 11:05 on Tuesday, the stock gained 4.59%, to 27.245 euros. Traders took the view that the comments of Allan Green left the door open to a transaction, supporting the share price.

(With agencies)

ALSO READ:

"The State finds redemption in the parade Ingenico

Ingenico has received a takeover offer

Cantona's wife made the pub for LCL

December 7, 2010 - 3:32 pm Comments Off

Here's a publicity surely happen Eric Cantona, with Tuesday, December 7, the day of his famous "revolution." The former footballer has called for mass emptying bank accounts in a video aired on October 7, which generated a buzz relayed in several European countries. A call that comes just months after participation of the wife of Eric Cantona, Rachida Brakni actress, an advertising campaign for the LCL. This TV spot was broadcast from 4 to 25 April last and praised the commitment of the bank on the mortgage.

"Everyone makes choices in the couple Cantona. If the wife of Eric Cantona has lent his image to an advertisement for LCL's history, "Is there at LCL. The bank has not wanted to comment on the appeal of the former footballer to destabilize the banking system by emptying the institutions' accounts.Following the video of Eric Cantona, French banks have long been silent. But last week, Societe Generale and BNP Paribas have both eventually respond.

Call "insécuritaire"

"Withdraw money from banks, it is extremely dangerous for both itself and (…) it would be as dramatic for the whole system," said Jean-Francois Sammarcelli Friday, Deputy CEO of Societe Generale at a press conference. He also felt that the crisis "should encourage everyone to be thoughtful and cautious."The day before, Baudoin Prot, the chief executive of BNP Paribas, had held that the appeal of Eric Cantona was "typically ill-founded", "totally insécuritaire" and "completely contrary to what can ensure the functioning of the economy .

For the president of the National Union Bank (SNB), Regis Dos Santos, the "bank run" by Eric Cantona is a "false good idea, potentially dangerous." But this idea has "the merit of asking the right questions," he observes in an interview in Le Parisien / Today in France bad credit personal loan lenders. "However, if a panic occurs and if everyone rushed into the banks, then they could no longer play their role of irrigation in the economy," he adds. According to the head of the SNB, "companies, SMEs and individuals would be the first penalized.

"A goal against his side"

The "revolution" Cantona is unanimity among the political class on Tuesday, has distanced himself from the former football star. "Obviously the answer is not correct, I would say that really mark a goal against his side against France, against all of us realizing it," said Martine Aubry, the Socialist Party First Secretary , on France Inter. Minister for Solidarity, Roselyne Bachelot, "what are the French the most modest morfleraient. "We see what is happening in Ireland, if that's where we choose, and I want to me," she said on France Info.

According to Marine Le Pen, candidate to succeed his father as head of the National Front, "Mr. Cantona is the spokesman of the French who are indignant at the way banks and international financial markets behave.""It is also indicative of the inability of the state banks are put in it," she said on Radio Classique, but said she did not call to withdraw their money from banks. Eric Cantona "puts his foot in it on a real subject," said the national secretary of the Greens, Cécile Duflot. "It expresses the ras-le-bol vis-à-vis banks vis-à-vis the double set of banks that have been saved by the States," she said on RMC.

ALSO READ:

The "revolution" Eric Cantona is emulated

"The video of Cantona reflects the concern of the French"

Nikkei back above the 10,000 points

December 2, 2010 - 6:32 pm Comments Off

Asian stocks regain form on Thursday. Headed the Nikkei 225 Index, which easily passes the 10,000 points, two weeks after breaking the symbolic barrier. The Japanese index closed up sharply from 1.81% to 10,168.52 points. He even reached in a meeting earlier than five months, to 10,187 points, encouraged by the strong performance of U.S. markets which closed on Wednesday with a strong rebound by 2.27%, boosted by good statistics and the positive discourse of the U.S. central bank. Prospects for action to be announced Thursday afternoon the European Central Bank to support banks and shore up public finances reassure Asian markets.

According to an official amériain, the U.S. would even be willing to support the swelling of the European financial stability by increasing their participation in financing the International Monetary Fund.

Japanese companies have invested more than last year

On the macroeconomic front, Japanese companies have invested more in the third quarter 2010 compared to the previous year. A first for three years. Capital expenditures of firms in the archipelago grew by 5.0% between July and September, driven by car manufacturers. And, for a total of 9.56 trillion yen (85 billion euros) in equipment and infrastructure.Business investment represents approximately 15% of the country's growth.

As for Japanese stocks, carmakers emerge mixed after posting their sales for the month of November: Honda (sales up 45%) climbed 1.94% to 3140 yen, Toyota (-3.3%) decreased by 0.6% to 3,290 yen and Nissan (+27%) rose 2.7% to 822 yen.

Other stock markets all green

The trend is clearly upward on other exchanges. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index gained 0.90% to 23,458.70 points, the CSI 300 Index climbed 1.66% Shanghai to 3188.18 points. The Taiwan Stock Exchange ahead of 0.69% to 8578.52 points, Seoul takes 1% to 4129 points, won 1.95% Sydney to 4676.20 points.The increases are somewhat limited in the Bombay Stock Exchange, 0.50% at 19,950 points, and for Singapore, 0.56% to 3199.83 points.

Crude prices were lower Thursday oriented in electronic trading in Asia, due to the rebound of the dollar, but they limited their losses thanks to good economic indicators and the cold wave in Europe, analysts said. In morning trading, a barrel of light sweet crude for January delivery lost 35 cents to 86.40 dollars (65.88 euros). One of Brent North Sea crude for January delivery yielded 29 cents to 88.58 dollars (67.54 euros).

Boeing's Dreamliner suspends trials

November 11, 2010 - 6:48 pm Comments Off

"We decided not to fly other aircraft time to better understand the incident. In the meantime, teams will focus on ground targets. " Thus Loretta Gunter, spokesman for the U.S. group Boeing, announced Wednesday the suspension of flight testing of long-haul 787 Dreamliner after an electrical fire in the cabin forced a device emergency landing.

The 787 was on approach to the airport in Laredo when the incident occurred and was able to land without damage. The Boeing said Wednesday evening that the primary circuit of electrical power had been cut. Smoke spread throughout the cabin, but the drivers have not lost control of the device. Loretta Gunter said the 787 in question was carrying a large amount of technical material commonly used in flight tests.Smoke in the cabin may have several origins: the wiring, lighting and an electronic system.

Part of the installation of electronic equipment must be replaced and Boeing proceeded on its site from Seattle to the analysis of flight data that could help understand the origin of the incident payday loan lenders.

The 42 occupants were evacuated safely from the aircraft – except one crew member slightly injured – by emergency chutes from the aircraft.

No delivery problems

The 787 is designed with composite materials and expected to be more fuel efficient than the current generation of commercial aircraft.

The manufacturer does not say whether the incident occurred on Tuesday postponing the first delivery of the aircraft, currently scheduled for first quarter 2011 to All Nippon Airways, first customer of the aircraft.The delivery was originally scheduled for May 2008.

U.S. authorities – the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) – said to follow the investigation closely.

The Book of Boeing already has 847 orders for 787, a figure unprecedented for a device under development.

(With Reuters)

ALSO READ:

"Boeing's 787 delays possible

"Boeing returned to profit in third quarter

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!