Archive for February, 2012

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Brussels sum Spain to explain the deficit

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

 

The official figure is worse than expected. The deficit of Spain reached 8.51% of GDP in 2011, according to finance minister, Cristobal Montoro. The difference is significant compared to the 6% target that was assigned to Madrid. The European Commission has not responded. Brussels said Tuesday the Spanish Conservative government's commitment to reduce the public deficit from Spain to 3% of GDP in 2013 and has ruled out any flexibility despite the difficulties.

"The Spanish government is committed to the Commission and its sixteen partners in the euro area to reduce the deficit to 3% of GDP in 2013," recalled Olivier Bailly, a spokesman in exercise of the Commission. "We never relaxed the rules laid down to achieve objectives," he added.

The Conservative government led by Mariano Rajoy, who had warned when he took office last December that he expected a deficit of 8% – blaming the outgoing Executive, of the Socialist José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero – , can not expect any concession on the part of the Commission.

"The Spanish authorities have to present ourselves in the coming weeks a draft budget for 2012," said Olivier Bailly. "We know that the two goals deficit to 4.4% of GDP in 2012 and 3% in 2013 will be difficult to achieve for the Spanish economy, the Spanish Government and the Spaniards themselves," admitted the Spokesman of the Commission. "But there are rules and they must be respected," he said.

30 billion euros by December to find

The objective of reducing, this year, the public deficit to 4.4% of GDP, however, is regarded as unrealistic by most observers Same day payday loans. "It will be very difficult, Judge Juan Carlos Martínez Lázaro, an economist at the IE Business School. Mainly because of growth prospects. " The European Commission believes that the Spanish GDP will contract by 1% in 2012.

To get the deficit of 8.51% to 4.4%, the Conservative government should save some 45 billion euros. The first measures adopted by the executive have to trim 15 billion euro 9 billion in spending cuts and $ 6 billion in tax increases. That leaves 30 billion to find by December.

Substantial reductions will necessarily painful. They primarily concern the regions responsible for two thirds of the slippage in 2011. But these positions manage the most sensitive: the education and health, among others. "We'll have to look for new ways of funding," warns Martínez Lázaro. The copago, user fees at medical consultations, is already established in Catalonia. It could be applied in many other autonomous communities.

There remains the possibility of increasing the VAT back … even if, again, on an election commitment Rajoy. "If Brussels does not review the deficit target, Madrid will necessarily increase the VAT," said Professor Martínez Lázaro. But the Commission warned: "We need all the information on the 2012 budget," said Monday the Commissioner for the Economy, Olli Rehn. Madrid had rather wait for indications from Brussels before presenting his budget in late March.

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The video game Gree is a billion followers

Monday, February 27th, 2012

 

Halfway between the U.S. publisher of video games and social network Zynga Facebook, Japanese Gree is still unknown in France. Its president and founder, Yoshikazu Tanaka, came to explain his ambitions in Paris on the occasion of the signing of a partnership with video game publisher Ubisoft and Gameloft its subsidiary, specializes in adapting games for mobile phones and Internet tablets. "We have nearly 200 million users of our games. But in three to five years we should count a billion players online on our next platform social gaming, "said the boss of Gree. The company attracts many new users every day through one of the 8,000 titles it offers. To get growth, surf Gree account current trends: social networks and mobile games. To this end, the Japanese company will launch its own platform games online, accessible via iPhone, iPad, tablets and smartphones that use Google's Android, in fourteen languages ​​in the second quarter.

Yoshikazu Tanaka, president and founder of Gree. Photo credits: ERIC PIERMONT / AFP

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Gasoline, electricity … prices will fall in Reunion

Sunday, February 26th, 2012

 

Friday night to Saturday was quieter at the meeting, but the measures in favor of Purchasing Power announced Friday night failed to extinguish the fire of protest against the "cost of living." Among the nudges forward, lower gasoline prices, freezing or lower prices of 40 basic commodities, and a social tariff for electricity.

Measures "insufficient" and "incomplete," according to the protesters. The meeting recorded an unemployment rate of 29.5% and explodes 60% for people under 25 years. Social minima are the same in the mainland but the cost of living is more expensive.

• Decreased 8 cents per liter of petrol and diesel

From 1 March until the end of the year, the price of gasoline at the pump will be reduced by 8 cents per liter. The question of fuel is essential for Reunion, forced to move by car or scooter as public transport is scarce and disorganized. In the department, a liter of gasoline costs 1.66 Unleaded 95 euro more than the French average of 1.58 euro (absolute record at February 17, 2012), but the diesel will cost "only" 1.29 (1.42 against euro on average throughout France).

Each month, fuel prices at the Meeting are set by prefectural order, depending on the variation in supply costs. This discount of eight cents and will be decided each month and achieved through a reduction of taxation. It will be financed by a renunciation of communities and the Chamber of Commerce to certain taxes, while importers of petroleum products will agree an effort.  

In France, for every liter of gasoline paid, the TIPP (domestic tax on petroleum products) is 60 cents for Unleaded and 42 cents for diesel. In some cases – this is the meeting – a fraction of the TIPP has been attributed to the regions, which may modulate the rate. Moreover, the prefect wants the establishment of a new storage of fuels, to create competition against the monopoly of the single fuel distribution company on the island.

In addition, the UMP president of the regional council, Didier Robert, will remove the "dock dues" on fuel, local taxes related 24 million euros per year, collected by the Region and then shared with other communities.

• Gel or lower prices for basic commodities

The price of forty staples will be either a decline or a gel. The list will be developed with retailers and consumers and published Thursday.

The council said that among these products, there would be "ten countries products, that is to say, as locally produced milk, oil, diapers, bleach, pork or chicken, which decline by 20 to 30%. " An effort of 23 million euros for this community, chaired by Nassimah Dindar, who is also counting on an effort by producers. Negotiations should continue throughout the weekend.

At the meeting, the social minima are the same in the mainland. Among the 830,000 inhabitants on the island, 52% live below the poverty line, or with less than 795 euros. 30% are unemployed. Among youth under 25%, the unemployment rate explodes to 60%. Now the population is young at the meeting: 56% had less than thirty years. However, prices of consumer goods, from food to clothing, there are more expensive than in the mainland, since most are imported. According to figures from INSEE, prices in 2009 were 15.6% higher at the meeting in the mainland. In 2010, the gap narrowed to 12.4%, for an average consumer basket, including rent. By comparison, in Guadeloupe, prices are 14.8% higher on average than in metropolitan France (in 2010), 16.9% more expensive in Martinique and 19.6% in Guyana.

• A social tariff for electricity

The effort on the forehead of electricity would represent a decrease of about 40% of the invoice concerned Reunion. The prefect said the families receiving the minimum social wage and minimum wage up to 1.4 are affected by this social tariff. These rates apply EDF funded by the General Council.

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SNCF: union battle around the annual premium

Friday, February 24th, 2012

 

"Dividend pay" or "exceptional bonus"? At the end of March, employees of the SNCF, will receive a nice bonus, the maximum amount, determined on the basis of seniority in the firm, reach 400 euros. The amount far exceeds that of 76 euros seen last year by the railroad.

Yet it gives rise to a real battle between railway union. On the one hand, the CFDT calls this premium "wage dividend" as a just retribution for "efforts" and it echoes the "record dividend" of € 221 million paid by SNCF to the State under fiscal 2011. "The CFDT and UNSA have successfully negotiated for its amount is reassessed, insists Tosolini Fabian, of the CFDT-railroaders. The rate was revised upwards through discussions with management. While we regret the randomness of its payment, we think this is good news for rail workers no fax payday loans. "

The CGT, however, has no words strong enough to evoke what she prefers to call a "gratuity", "wage dividend" is a word "willfully misleading" and "can not exist in a public company," ensures the CGT. Above all, it is "funded by the job cuts, deteriorating living conditions and working railway, the extreme pressure on wages, the brake on career paths and declining social rights".

It is true that the CGT launched a strike notice for the day of 29 February on employment, wages and improved working conditions. The premium of 400 euros fell ill five days before the big day

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Brussels puts the euro area in recession

Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

 

The euro area will experience a recession this year by recording a decline of 0.3% of its gross domestic product, said Thursday the European Commission in its latest forecast.

The Commission has revised down sharply its growth forecast for the euro area compared with its previous forecast in November, where it expected a further increase of 0.5% for 2012. The last recession in the monetary union dates back to 2009 with a very pronounced decline while the activity of 4.3%.

This sharp downward revision of growth forecasts is related to fallout from the debt crisis, which is severely affecting some countries in the euro area, has weakened the financial markets and led to a slowdown in the real economy, the report points Commission. But this recession is, however "moderate," said the EU executive's report, referring to signs of stabilization and indicators showing slight improvements especially in the second half of the year.

French growth revised down

The growth forecast of France was revised down 0.6% to 0.4%. This is slightly lower than the official forecast of Paris which is 0.5%. Indeed, in late January, the French government by the voice of his prime minister, Francois Fillon, was significantly revised down its own growth forecast for this year, from 1% to 0.5%. The second economy of the eurozone will therefore record a sharp deceleration in economic activity this year after growing 1.7% in 2011.

France should therefore register growth below that of Germany. Brussels expects growth across the Rhine by 0.6% against 0.8% last fall, after rising 3% in 2011.

The European Commission predicts a recession of 1.3% in Italy, while Rome officially table on a 0.4% decline. The EU executive last November was still predicting a low growth of 0.1% for 2012. Italy is in fact entered a recession in the second half of 2011 in an environment of falling confidence in the economy and fears that the country is in turn sucked in by the debt crisis.

Recession stronger than expected in Greece

For Greece, to which the Eurogroup has granted a second rescue plan of 237 billion euros, Brussels expects a deeper recession than expected in 2012, with a contraction of 4.4 %, against a projected decline of 2.8% predicted last fall.

In detail, eight countries in the euro area will be in recession in 2012, including Italy and Spain, hit hard by the debt crisis but also, Belgium (down 0.1% of the NIP in 2012 ) and the Netherlands (0.9% decline in GDP over the year) which was considered one of the strongest countries in the euro area and one of the best marks. 

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Oil: Shell permission to drill off Alaska

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012

 

The oil group Shell has got the green light Friday to U.S. federal authorities for offshore drilling operations off the coast of Alaska, Chukchi Sea. Located on the northwest coastal side of the Arctic Ocean, this site would house the equivalent of 27 billion barrels of oil and 40 trillion cubic meters of gas.

Six wells are expected to be operational in July. The Department of the Interior found satisfactory relief measures provided by Shell disaster comparable to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. It remains to obtain the approval of two administrations in charge of environmental issues.

Shell, which has already invested $ 4 billion in offshore exploration in the last five years, this new eagerly awaited, the federal government has always welcomed drilling projects in Alaska with extreme caution.

The trauma of the "Exxon Valdez"

Since the beginning of site operations at Prudhoe Bay (north) and the commissioning of the pipeline transalaska (TAPS) in 1977, associations of environmental protection and Native American tribes have multiplied the legal procedures to prevent these operations drilling. This did not prevent the tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, near Valdez oil terminal in March 1989. 40,000 tons of crude oil had passed into the Pacific Ocean, causing one of the worst environmental disasters of all time.

"On the Arctic frontier, said Secretary of State for the Interior Ken Salazar, a measured exploration, carried out with extreme caution, draconian security measures and emergency device the most rigorous ever made, we will improve our knowledge of the region and its natural resources, all in an effort to increase our production of domestic oil and gas in order to both safely and responsibly. "

On 1 December 2010, U.S. President Barack Obama announced plans to open two portions of the Arctic coastal zone (OCS) to offshore production to offset the relative decline of the pipeline, whose daily flow has dropped from two million to 600,000 barrels since 1988. 

The decision of the Department of the Interior has angered associations of environmental protection and Native American tribes, who fear a serious threat to the ecosystem of the Arctic Ocean, with the specter of the Exxon Valdez still present in public opinion. "These waters are home to endangered humpback whales, many polar bears, seals and sea lions," Lois Epstein is moved, the Wilderness Society in Anchorage.

Opponents of the project should quickly grasp the American justice system to push two or three years the start of drilling in Chukchi Sea, arguing that the extreme weather of the Arctic (cold, wind, darkness) made the security measures put forward by Shell insufficient and uncertain.

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Murdoch-attack against The Sun

Monday, February 20th, 2012

 

Rupert Murdoch arrived in London on Thursday night aboard his private jet, for several weeks. His mission: to regain control of News International, the UK subsidiary of global media empire, and at all costs avoid a second major crisis this time his flagship, the tabloid The Sun, after the scandal of the weekly News of the World, which led to its closure in July.

In turmoil after an investigation into corrupt practices of police in exchange for information, the Sun was awarded the "unwavering support" of its owner, as rumors of closure began to circulate about him. Better, the Australian tycoon 80 years has announced "very soon" an edition of the Sunday Sun to replace News of the World. Sources said the launch could take place by April.

Rupert Murdoch has spent the day Friday at the headquarters of the Sun to boost the morale of troops, badly affected. "I worked with you for forty-three years to make the Sun one of the best newspapers in the world. This is a part of myself and one of our proudest achievements, "he tried to reassure.

Ten journalists arrested

Ten journalists in the hierarchy of the title were arrested and interviewed in recent weeks by the police as part of a broad inquiry into practices of the group, after the wiretapping scandal. Lived very poorly, the arrests have led to spectacular start a rebellion of writing against the owner, accused of being overly zealous in its cooperation with the police. Dozens of investigators and lawyers peel millions of emails, archive and expense of the group to highlight any illegal practice. If reaffirmed its intention to continue working in the ongoing investigation, Murdoch nevertheless lifted the suspension of the arrested journalists – without charges – allowing them to resume work.

To give the lie to the suspicion of disinterest group for its release in the UK, Murdoch takes the offensive. The Sun, acquired in 1969, became the most powerful British newspaper, was deemed capable of making and unmaking governments. This is also the only viable way of the group, which also owns The Times and The Sunday Times. But after the scandal News of the World, Murdoch became a pariah in the British establishment. The Sun is Sundayviserait 1.5 million copies every Sunday – far from the 2.7 million daily and the deceased's News of the World – and a turnover of 50 to 100 million pounds (60 to 120 million euros). The Sunday newspaper market in Britain is down 17% year over year.

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Sunday work, campaign theme

Saturday, February 18th, 2012

 

The opening of Sunday shopping has become a topic of this Friday's presidential campaign. Nicolas Sarkozy, the president now officially a candidate for reelection, took hold of the States General of Trade to revive a debate that has never really stopped since the adoption of the "law Maille". The Act of August 10, 2009 allows the Sunday opening of shops in some towns and tourist areas and hot springs and in some big cities. More generally, the Labour Code provides for the possibility for all stores to open five Sundays a year authorized by the mayor or the prefect.  

"If the French put their trust in me at the next presidential election, the first step that I will implement will be to continue the flexibilities already made with regard to Sunday opening of shops for you to adapt to changing lifestyles, "it said in the statement that was read by the Secretary of State for Trade, Frédéric Lefebvre. "Broadening the conditions for opening of shops on Sundays, giving you more freedom, it's growth for your business is employment for the French, it's purchasing power for your employees , is the strengthening of the tourist attraction that France is strong, "argued the head of state, resuming his campaign slogan. Already in 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy had placed Sunday working at the heart of his campaign, when he presented himself as the candidate of purchasing power and it boasted its famous slogan: "Work more to earn more" .

And since, traders remained dissatisfied. In his "Pact for the development of commerce", presented in November 2011 with the intention of being sent to the candidates in the presidential election, the Board of Trade of France (FPS) requested the opportunity for each merchant to open " freely from 10 to 12 Sundays a year ", even if his store is located" out of area tourism. " The association already put forward "changing lifestyles" and "ambition tourism in France" to justify its request paydayloans. During sales in January, Frédéric Lefebvre assured that some foreign tour operators were programming does not weekend in Paris because their customers can not be done shopping.

"A little air"

The issue of Sunday opening is sized. With 730,000 businesses, trade accounts for 20% of private jobs in France and 10% of GDP. Its annual sales reached 1.4 trillion euros, said the FPS. However, the federation does not argue for an opening of "all the shops, every Sunday throughout France." "What we want is a relaxation, a little air," said its chairman Gerard Atlan, quoted by AFP. "The dealer should be there when there is revenue to do, when there is none, it closes."

Like Nicolas Sarkozy, the Socialist candidate Francois Hollande has taken hold of the subject. In a video broadcast on the same Estates General of Trade this morning, he says he will engage in "negotiations" on the issue "controversial" work on Sundays. Last stir in date, has established a parliamentary report last November that voluntary employee to work on Sunday in the authorized areas was "not sufficiently guaranteed" by some companies. For Francois Hollande, it is to find "a balance between the rights of employees" and concern for traders to "respond to new forms of competition." First union to respond, the CFTC has regretted the "social choice" favored by Nicolas Sarkozy, according to the union, further open the way for the "hyperconsumérisme".  

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A power line between France and Spain

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

 

The cold snap ending just in France has demonstrated how exports and imports of electricity are vital. To meet their current demand, the 65 million French broke records historical consumption last week to more than 100,000 megawatts (MW), of which 8000 MW have been imported.

This is to increase trade in electricity as RTE, the French network, and its Spanish counterpart REE beginning to drill its days of a new tunnel linking France and Spain.

The launch of this project marks the latest episode in a series over several decades. The last line at high voltage (EHV) trans-Pyrenean date thirty years ago. Expected since the 1980s, this binding (THT) was designed to be air. The prospect of the sides of the Pyrenees bristle with towers and cables mobilized a strong opposition that eventually succeed. The project was frozen.

The man who strove to break the deadlock is none other than "Super Mario", the current Prime Minister of Italy Mario Monti, former European Commissioner, says Yves Decoeur, the CEO of INELFE, a joint venture between RTE and REE . Stakeholders have agreed to bury the line THT than 320,000 volts. A green solution which almost tenfold the cost of the line, 80 million euros to 700 million euros.

The European Union, within the dual framework of its program of infrastructure to streamline the energy market and its recovery envelope decided after the 2008 financial crisis, has financed the construction of up to 225 million euros . Added to this a loan of 350 million euros from the European Investment Bank. "In exceptional circumstances, exceptional financing," had justified the commissioner Mario Monti, remembers Yves Decoeur.

World record

Of the 65 miles of new service between Perpignan and Figueres, will be drilled 8.5 kilometers beneath the mountain by two tunnel boring machines, monsters of three hundred meters long each. The rest of the line will be buried 1.5 meters underground through a single trench.

With a capacity of carrying 2000 MW, slightly more than the power of two nuclear reactors at Fessenheim, the line "Baixas-Santa Llogaia" will "break the world record currently held by a line buried in a 400 MW DC United States United, "said Yves Decoeur. The tunneling and burial of 65 km along the line must be completed by mid-2013.

In recent years, the volumes of electricity traded between the two neighboring Pyrenean rose, but crisis requires, they fell in 2010. The balance of trade with Spain was positive for France last year whereas it was negative in 2010. France has bought 3.1 terawatt hours (TWh) and sold 4.5 TWh. RTE said that the volumes and balances vary considerably from one month to another, including depending on the availability of dams in Spain.

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Gas and Electric: high risk of unpaid bills after the cold

Wednesday, February 15th, 2012

 

The thaw begins. But the cold snap which resulted in peak consumption of gas and electricity in France may weigh heavily on household budgets. It has forced many households to use "whatever means" to heat, which will probably burn their energy bills, according to Abbé Pierre Foundation. "The number of households in fuel poverty continues to grow with its share of unpaid", warns the National Association of CLCV consumers. Fuel poverty affects 3.8 million households in France, nearly 9 million people, according to INSEE. These households spend at least 10% of their income to their expenditure on gas and electricity.

"The bills are calculated on an annual basis, it is too early to assess the impact of the cold wave," does one judge at GDF Suez. For the operator of gas, the effect of "cold" likely to be limited. "The winter was very mild until recent weeks and the year 2011 was one of the warmest in history." Moreover, "people who are really in trouble are careful to their consumption, "says EDF, which has nevertheless established a hotline * to allow the poor to report their difficulties.

Educate consumers, rather than cut power

According to EDF, "the best way to fight against the rise in unpaid bills is to detect the most vulnerable households upstream". A task that 5500 counselors are trained operator. "When they find one-off payment problems, they propose to rehabilitate the electricity supply to the lifestyle of the households concerned. They also give them advice so they use more efficiently, for example, paying attention to peak and peak hours. "A strategy that has proven, according to EDF. "In May 2011, we operated under 100,000 for unpaid cuts over one year. These cuts were divided by seven to 15 years. "A similar education program was implemented at GDF Suez, in which the group has invested 3 million euros for 2010-2013.

For CLVC, these measures are not sufficient. The association calls for a "permanent ban" cuts gas and electricity, a "vital service". "In case of default in bad faith, the legal effect is sufficient to enforce payment of bills," she argues. In response, EDF and GDF Suez reminder that the winter break – November 1 to March 15 – applies to power outages and gas for the beneficiaries of the Solidarity Fund for Housing (FSL), or 200,000 customers of EDF and GDF Suez to 140,000. As a GDF Suez has decided "to extend to all its clients receiving social assistance," regarding 400,000 customers, while EDF has decided to extend this period of suspension cuts to April 1.

Automated social tariffs from 1 January 2012

GDF Suez has "decided to apply from 1 January 2012 to automate access to social tariffs of gas and this in anticipation of future regulations," says the operator. This statement comes as associations were surprised that the implementing decree has still not published in early February. The Energy Minister, Eric Besson, replied that this could be suitable for automation invoices relevant consumers from 1 January 2012. "This measure will benefit 500,000 additional households, or 800,000 households in total. Their annual natural gas bill go down and 22 to 156 euros depending on their consumption, "calculates GDF Suez. For its part, EDF estimates that 1.3 million households will benefit from this price for essential electricity, against 650,000 today.

* In an emergency, the EDF customers can report their problems 24h/24 and 7/7 by calling freephone 0800 65 03 09. For customers of GDF Suez, two green numbers: 0800106168 (toll free solidarity) and 0800333124 (toll free social tariff).

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