Canal + TV enters the plain by buying Direct 8

Canal + has crossed the Rubicon and wants to become a major player in free television in France. Thursday, the group led by Bertrand Meheut announced the takeover of Direct 8 Direct and Star, two DTT channels free of the Bolloré Group. Initially, Canal + buys 60% stake in the TV division of Bolloré Media and awards it operational control. In three years, he may redeem the remaining shares. The operation was buckled in 48 hours! "I know and appreciate for a long time the leaders of Vivendi, Jean-René Fourtou and Jean-Bernard Levy, and Bertrand Meheut, CEO of Canal +.I am very pleased to be associated with such a good team, "said Vincent Bollore, Bollore Group CEO.

Gone are the days when the giants were the audiovisual respect the Yalta on TV: TF1 and M6 to the largest piece of the free TV, Canal + in the world of pay-TV and its 11 million subscribers. In France, the two families have substantially the same size: just over 3 billion euros for free TV financed by advertising and about $ 4 billion to pay.

After struggling for years to ensure a near-monopoly on pay TV (up to buy its rival TPS), it will not take long to Bertrand Meheut to tumble into force on the television commercial. Now a subsidiary of Vivendi will have three frequencies of DTT: iTV, Direct 8 Direct and Star.Be as much as TF1 and M6 more than the group which, in addition to the namesake chain, has only W9. For Bertrand Meheut, this operation meets the logic of "creating strong audiovisual groups able to defend themselves both on the live broadcast on the non-linear over the Internet. This will increase the value of our programs will experience an exclusive first exhibition in pay and free TV in a second. And pay-TV business is our heart. "

465 million for Bolloré

If this sounds like a declaration of war groups TF1 and M6, the marginalized, at the same time, the few independent French media landscape, and BFMTV NRJ12. With the launch of DTT in 2005, the Higher Audiovisual Council wanted to bring new players in the PAF: Bolloré Group AB, NextRadioTV and NRJ Group.But since the first two have sold their frequencies. Claude Berda NT1 and TMC has given its ally TF1. Bolloré sells Direct 8 Direct and Star in Canal +. The two remaining independent are the big losers. For its part, Bolloré Media made a good deal. Since 2005 he has invested hundreds of millions of euros in Live 8 and 70 million euros for the acquisition of Direct Star. Five years later, it enhances its flagship TV to 465 million euros! The channel Direct 8, mini-general, would be about 350 to 400 million euros. Direct Star would be a hundred. "We have successfully completed the first phase by creating Direct 8 from scratch and placing it among the first of TNT.But for the second phase, which will see all the media groups to engage in significant competition on the content, we decided to partner with a large broadcasting group, "said Vincent Bolloré. The myth of an audiovisual largely open to competition turns into a clash between three private-TF1, M6 and Canal + – and a public group, France Televisions. With their financial firepower, the first three will fight a war without thank you for the acquisition of content.

Add to this a sharp competition for advertising. Canal + now has a board weighing 400 million. Bertrand Meheut is trying to calm things down by stating that "this partnership does not change the industrial landscape, since we are in the continuity of existing channels. We are small in this market for free TV. "He recalled that "TF1 and M6 are, conversely, present in the pay television." It is unclear whether this is enough to calm things down, because, at the same time, the president of Canal Plus says it does not want to "abandon its free channel Canal 20" under channel offset. In this case, Canal +, which exceeds the number of authorized frequencies (maximum seven), should sell two. "It will sell certain frequencies paying," he says. The chain may be referred planet, present on the DTT.

This comes on the eve of the presentation of the report of Michel Boyon, president of CSA, the future of DTT. It is now a fait accompli. The media landscape is recomposed without him. If Canal + bought Direct 8 Direct and Star, the future of DTT is widely drawn.The TF1 group is in a strong position to demand not only the transfer of its news channel LCI of DTT (where it is marginalized) to DTT. But Nonce Paolini, CEO of TF1, claim compensation as a string, which should be TV Breizh. For its part, the M6, if he will not be weakened, will support its claims. He also wants to transform its pay DTT channel Paris Première chain free. And he also wants compensatory chain among its two projects WikiTV M6 family.

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The Paris stock exchange plunges into the red

The Paris Bourse widening its losses. After an opening down 1.19%, the CAC 40 drops 2.43% to 3186.47 points in mid-session and switches under the 3200 points. In Frankfurt, the Dax lost 2.07% while in London, the FTSE loose 1.68%.

The day after a volatile session, which however ended with a small increase, investors are very cautious. On Friday, early afternoon is indeed expected U.S. monthly report on employment. This will be the only highlight of the day."There is not a measure of uncertainty before the employment figures to be published, while the fact that U.S. markets are preparing for a long weekend encourages traders to reduce their short positions," Camron says Peacock, an analyst at IG Markets.

As on Wall Street, who finished the day sharply lower yesterday, as investors take profits after four sessions of consecutive increases. This morning, Asian markets also followed this trend.

In addition to wait before the report was released, traders were disappointed by U.S. indexes mixed. The weekly jobless claims have fallen and certainly the contraction was avoided in the manufacturing sector, but construction costs and productivity plummeted.In addition, the White House confirmed the pessimism about the weakness of the recovery across the Atlantic in scaling back its growth forecasts.

Hesitation in oil markets

As for the oil markets, prices causes a wait of a dispersed way. In morning trading, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in October lost 2 cents to 88.91 dollars a barrel while Brent North Sea crude for October delivery gained 19 cents to 114.48 dollars. In addition to the jobs report, investors feared the consequences of the violent disruption Katia approaching the U.S. coast. In the Gulf of Mexico, BP, ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch Shell began evacuating their staff from oil platforms. The Gulf of Mexico provides a quarter of the production of black gold in the United States.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro has stabilized at 1.4238 dollar.Yesterday, the European single currency fell sharply against the dollar, within the scope of renewed concerns vis-à-vis the health of the euro area, where industrial activity contracted in August, contrary to United States.

Rising energy costs caused a 0.5% increase in producer prices in July in the euro area, as expected, but overall inflationary pressures subside to the extent that the economy of the skate zone.

Values ​​to follow

France Telecom: -0.96% to 13.36 euros

The operator has received numerous expressions of interest for its Swiss division, told Reuters CEO Stéphane Richard, noting that financial market volatility would not affect projects sales of assets of the group electronic check payday advance.

Bouygues: -1.15% to 25.87 euros

The Standard & Poor's announced that it placed the long-term rating of A-group under review with negative implications following the announcement by him of a proposed acquisition of securities.

Total: -1.83% to 33.74 euros

The oil will extend all over France its network of service stations at low prices, after tests conducted last year in dozens of outlets, according to Les Echos.

Safran: -2.12% to 27.18 euros, Suez Environnement: -4.10% to 11.11 euros

Saffron is the best candidate for an entry in the CAC 40, while Suez Environnement, whose price has fallen heavily since the beginning of the summer, should come out, say professionals in the Paris Bourse.

NYSE Euronext: -1.72% to 18.60 euros

The London Stock Exchange has confirmed a press report that it is discussing a possible settlement with LCH.Clearnet.Discussions are at a preliminary stage and there is no guarantee that it would, he said.

Arcelor-Mittal: -3.84% to 14.51 euros

The group plans to resort to short in the fourth quarter at its plant in Florange (Moselle), and will ask 600 of the 3,000 employees of the plant to take RTT in September, officials said Thursday a union source

Sanofi: -2.28% to 50.25 euros

The group confirmed Thursday it has reached an agreement with Pfizer to produce in France generic versions of Lipitor, the cholesterol featuring the American group.

Neopost: + 8.80% to 55.49 euros

The group raised its forecast of annual sales for the second time, following an accelerated growth in the second quarter, thanks to the dynamics of North America.

As for recommendations:

EDF: -1.89% to 21.24 euros

Goldman Sachs has revised down its price target on the title, which goes from 49 to 31 euros, while remaining for purchase.

Carrefour: -3.60% to 17.52 euros

HSBC lowered its recommendation to "overweight" to "neutral" and target price of 30.50 to 20 euros.

Pernod Ricard: -1.03% to 61.28 euros

Bernstein lowered its price target from 76 to 67 euros.

Stallergenes: + 0.71% to 49.75 euros

The laboratory of immuno-allergic Thursday announced a net profit up 18% in the first half to 23.7 million euros, benefiting from the "business growth" and a "moderate increase spending research and development. " In the process, Oddo is to reduce its recommendation to neutral.

SNCF tariffs: "We want more transparency"

A new decree, issued July 31, should allow the station not to set an annual calendar of dates or normal movement of its trains. The National Federation of Transport Users (FNAUT) will be consulted as the set of consumer groups before the implementation of new measures. Its president, Jean Sivardière explains the consequences of their introduction.

Lefigaro.fr – The decree abolishing the concept of peak or normal was claimed by the SNCF. What benefit the operator does he draw?

Jean Sivardière – SNCF wants more freedom in setting its prices to meet more of its trains reservation is to say mainly the TGV, but also trains Lunéa (night train, Ed) and trains Téoz (Paris-Clermont-Ferrand, Paris-Toulouse and Bordeaux-Nice, Ed).The TER intercity, Coral, are not affected. The absence of a predetermined schedule as it is today will allow it to adjust its prices more freely according to demand and events. This is the generalization of "yield management" pricing based on supply and demand. The benefit for the station is to be better armed against competition from airplanes, cars and eventually other train operators who will come with the opening of the network under EU regulations.

The station will therefore be free to increase prices …

Yes, when demand will be strong. But it can also reduce some of the trains filled to attract travelers. We do not reject the principle of the decree. Unlike other associations, we try to assess the medium-term effects.Of course, they will be positive for the station, but we believe that if the station is in better financial health, the traveler found there too. If the operator performs better trains, the French users should benefit from a tariff acceptable. In Germany, where pricing rules are much more rigid, the prices are also higher.

Is there not a risk of soaring prices?

The decree provides that the station will make public the amount of the highest rates and that of the lowest rate charged instant payday loan lenders. But we also know that the operator is a state within a state and it is difficult to impose such measures. We have no evidence that the average tariff will not increase, but we nevertheless believe that a surge would mean a loss of customers, and would therefore be against-productive.What we regret is the new benchmark loss arising from the removal of the schedule of dates for users already lost to the variety of tariffs. When we are received by the Advisory Committee of the SNCF, for example, we will request the publication of the quota of seats at reduced rates. Currently, we are not aware of this number. We need more transparency so that travelers know what they pay for. For several years, we also ask for the maintenance of lines parallel to the TGV Corail. This would create a kind of low-cost rail. This line exists in the Rhone Valley. They work very well and does not infect clients of the TGV.

New User Reviews

A survey by the Consumers' Association CLCV last spring and published Monday in Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France testifies to the annoyance of SNCF customers. Chief among complaints: the pricing policy. Nearly 90% of 570 respondents believe that prices are expensive or too expensive. According to a study by Boston Consulting Group, the average price per mile has actually increased by 26.4% between 2002 and 2009, twice as much as inflation. Travelers also denounce the complexity of the fee schedule. Another study conducted by the association CLCV also noted between the discount cards, and offers Prem's and other iDTGV, it was possible to find twenty different prices for the same seat.Finally, the survey raises the issue of timeliness because nearly half of respondents say they regularly experience delays … and poorly compensated. 63.9% of passenger demand and to be systematically compensated for any delays exceeding 30 minutes.

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Irene would cost tens of billions

The bill may be steep Irene. The governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, has evaluated this Sunday on the NBC television network damage caused by Hurricane "billions of dollars, even tens of billions of dollars." According to an alternative estimate delivered by the consulting firm Kinetic analysis, the hardware cost of this storm is expected to rise between five and ten billion dollars, most likely around seven billion. Just to the North Carolina and South Carolina, two states already affected by the hurricane, the amount of losses expected to reach between 200 and 400 million.

Above all, this damage should be responsible in large measure to the State, businesses and individuals, when insurers should take on a lesser share of the burden, said Chuck Watson, one of the leaders of Kinetic Analysis told AFP."Most of the structural damage will be caused by the rising water because of rain and coastal flooding. Yet this type of damage is not covered by private insurance, "said he.

The same applies to losses caused by the cessation of activity in areas relevant to the coast, or the cost incurred by the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people payday loan lenders. Thus, New York, usually hectic, has been transformed this weekend into a ghost town, most shops have closed up shop and residents have been urged to stay home. But there is no damage reported, insurance should not pay a dime to compensate their members.

Insurers expected to be down

Insurance companies, however, should see their value fall Monday at the New York Stock Exchange.On Friday, insurers Allstate and Travelers had fallen to the lowest levels for two years, investors anticipate the costs incurred by the hurricane for those companies.

The amount of the invoice should still be less than initially estimated. Thus, Kinetic analysis was planned on Friday that a tornado could generate over 12 billion euros of damage if it hit New York at the height of its intensity. Finally, she was demoted to a mere tropical storm, with winds still 100 km / hour. These amounts are in any case of a different order of magnitude as the colossal damage of about $ 100 billion registered during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Wall Street offers a strong rebound

The rebound was confirmed on Tuesday on Wall Street after two weeks of choppy stock markets worldwide. The New York indexes opened higher in small (0.22% for the Dow, 0.36% for the Nasdaq), after a session very agitated. But they gradually accelerated their progress. Only the earthquake of magnitude 6 that shook the East Coast of the United States shortly before 20h (French time) slightly slowed the increase without transactions are disrupted. The Dow Jones gained 2.95% to close at 11,175.10 points and the Nasdaq dominated by technology wins at 4.29% to 2446.06 points.The broader index S & P 500 finished its part of a gain of 3.43% (38.53 points) to 1162.35 points.

The only macroeconomic indicator on the agenda on Tuesday, however, was likely to reinforce fears of the market: sales of new housing in the United States have in fact declined by 0.7% in July, following declines of 2 9% in June, according to the Commerce Department. On an annual basis, the sales trend to 298,000 units (300,000 in June after), while analysts on average had forecast 310,000. If other indicators will be announced in the coming days, investor caution, but market volatility, however, should remain in force throughout the week until Friday.

That day, in fact, speak the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke.Speculation is rife, some still hoping that it will decide a third monetary easing to support the U.S. economy. Will also be unveiled for the second estimate of U.S. GDP for the second quarter.

Banks and investment funds turbulent agitated

Oil markets, a barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in October closed up 1.02 dollars to 85.44 dollars in New York. As for gold, it never ceases to reach new records: the precious metal has reached this morning for the first time in its history to 1900 dollars quick payday loan.

As for values, the securities of the banking sector managed to recover. Monday, banks have suffered a lot and have weighed most heavily on the Dow. On Tuesday, Bank of America finally finished down 1.87% to 6.30 dollars.The bank, however, lost up to 6% to 6.01 dollars after losing 7.9% Wednesday on rumors of capital increases.

UBS gained 5.23% to 13.64 dollars, while Goldman Sachs ahead of 0.33% to 106.86 dollars, a government source who reported that the bank had hired Reid Weingarten, a lawyer of reputation, that markets see as the harbinger of a tough legal battle over the role of the bank in the financial crisis of 2008-2009.

News is expanded on the side of investment funds. The fund Cerberus and its partner Chatham Lodging Trust and have informed the United States real estate company Innkeepers Trust (Marriott franchise) they did not buy the walls of 64 of its hotels in the United States.The transaction, amounting to $ 1.1 billion, was announced in May.

The investment fund Jana Partners in New York and the pension fund Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, shareholders of the publisher McGraw-Hill (4.45% to 38.69 dollars), for their part stated the recommended separation group's activities. The two investors, who had announced in early August have acquired a total of 5.2% of the capital, advocated in a paper presented to the authority of the U.S. equity markets (SEC) that the group split its divisions Education, Information and Media and stock index Standard & Poor's.

Finally, on the front of mergers over the world stock markets, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) approved on Tuesday the merger of NYSE Euronext (5.17% to 26.23 dollars) and Deutsche Börse (-0.67% to 56.52 dollars) that should give birth to the first global exchange operator.

"The user usually has nothing to fear"

Is this the end of unlimited Internet packages at home?

No operator has no plans to do so today. The buzz started on the Internet by Owni skidded. The presidents of the major operators have simply said in recent months that they would go to differentiate their offerings and those who consume the most could be more involved. But the average consumer has no chance of being involved.

What consumers might be affected?

This is very, very heavy users, a very specific segment of customers that are found in all countries. These are 5% to 10% of consumers who use 80% of the bandwidth, because they spend their time downloading movies, make video at all times, spend the day on Facebook with video, YouTube, Dailymotion cash advance payday loan. The population is fairly limited.Perhaps operators will they have different prices for those? Maybe they will limit their bandwidth? Nothing is decided. But the ordinary user of the Internet has nothing to fear.

Is not a disguised means to raise prices for everyone?

No. On the contrary, the good news of the season is that competition only increased with the arrival of new players like Virgin Mobile or the post office in the market for Internet box. This will add new offerings on the market, which is already very busy. The French are very lucky: they can take advantage of competition.

Carrefour and Auchan bet on the return

The new school year has begun. The shelves of supermarkets anyway. Intersection and Auchan hypermarkets which have lost market share since early January, play their all to save the year. Their goal: to take advantage of this period, the largest in terms of sales after Christmas, to bring back customers and especially to force them to remain faithful to the brand.

Carrefour, the worst off of two, decided to strike hard, even if release into the wild to 1.3 billion euros of gift vouchers. The never-seen! "Our premium of 100 euros back complements the allowance paid back Friday by the government," said Noël Prioux, executive director of Carrefour France. The group breaks new ground by distributing 13 million in its hypermarkets checkbooks containing 10 vouchers of 10 Euro, valid for 5 weeks and from 30 euros to buy.The customer can not spend only 2 per week, in two predefined rays associated with the start, the traditional paper products and linens to leather, textile (women, men, baby) and electricity and the tooling. "We make a significant investment to support our customers in a key moment when they are faced with many expenses in a difficult environment," says Noel Prioux, which must succeed this time, after a failed September 2010 and the beginning of year catastrophic. The poor performance of the domestic market have already caused the departure of its CEO, James McCann, and sealed half-year results of the group.

Increase traffic

In addition to the premium back promotions in other departments. Carrefour also has finally increased the share of its own brand.When performing these three devices, the reductions can approach 80% back on the shelves, supports the group. If the brand has loyal customers and win back others with this, it has also not forgotten the food department. "As for offering toys at the end of year deals on the products at the start of school is only profitable for the traffic they bring," says one consultant. And provided that once in-store customers take the opportunity to make further purchases. "We've lowered our prices in August 1000 on food references: the effort for the products most frequently purchased by our customers, everyday products (dairy products and desserts, for example), and the products popular with families, "said Noël Prioux, which means" to rediscover Carrefour. "The objective is clear: "re strong business momentum in the last quarter."

Auchan and Système U have introduced similar devices. Thursday and Friday, customers who buy 23 items in the school are being taught northerner all of the purchase paid in vouchers to spend in the entire store … next week. In addition, the company offers a special on the shelf textiles from there too in addition to its promotional programs most common in the food department.

Towards a tax on "high income"

When in 2007 the Merkel government has created an additional income tax of 45%, Germany was against the current. At the time, it was time to lower taxes to encourage work. But the crisis and rising public deficits have changed everything. Germany has become more and more followers. In 2010, the UK has increased to 50% the rate of the highest portion of its income tax (IR). And Italy is preparing to introduce a solidarity tax for employees earning more than 90,000 euros.

More surprising number of taxpayers potentially affected by such a tax do not hesitate to ask now open! American side, the billionaire Warren Buffett has called this week for a contribution of "mégariches."In France, Maurice Levy, chief executive of Publicis Group and president of the Afep (French association of private companies), wrote in his name, an article in Le Monde, where he considered it "essential that the effort Solidarity begins with those whom fate has spared. " All indications are that it will be heard as the French government pledged last spring to introduce a tax on high incomes. "Today we are working on the issue of remuneration is said sometimes extravagant," reiterated on Wednesday on Europe 1, the budget minister, Valérie Pécresse.

The majority has already noted last year from 40% to 41% in the final tranche of IR. But this time it is hit with higher incomes (the final installment begins 71,000 euros in annual revenues). And this without creating a new rate of IR.While some lawmakers, like Senator Jean Arthuis centrist, still defend the idea, Nicolas Sarkozy is opposed to any new slice. Since the fall, the government has consistently rejected in Parliament every initiative of his majority to create a slice with 46% annual earnings per share in excess of 100,000 euros.

A million or 150,000 euros of income a year?

The Ministers of Economy and Budget has established a working group of parliamentarians who must propose measures in the fall, in the 2012 budget. The idea of ​​the executive, initially was rather taxing high incomes via the company by making non-deductible from corporate tax wages above a certain level. But the government now seems to favor a direct taxation at the household level, a solution advocated by many parliamentarians.Gilles Carrez, the UMP rapporteur of the budget in the Assembly proposes to introduce a contribution of 1% to 2% of annual revenues in excess of one million euros.

Advantage: All income is affected, including dividends and capital gains, not just wages (as with the non-deductibility). The threshold of 1 million French can target very easy – 30,000 homes would be affected. "The measure must be a symbol. This is not to bail out of the state, "said Jerome Chartier, UMP du Val-d'Oise. Indeed, 2%, the new tax would yield only 300 million (against $ 1 billion for the portion eg 46%). "Be careful not to pour into demagoguery and rich hunting. The contribution must be calibrated, "adds Philippe Marini, UMP rapporteur of the budget in the Senate.

Problem: all members do not see it that way.Pierre Mehaignerie, the UMP president of the Committee on Social Affairs in the Assembly hopes that the contribution applies from 150,000 to 200,000 euros in annual income for couples and 80,000 euros for a single. At this level, more than 300,000 homes were affected, including many executives. "I understand that. But our people are ready to make an effort if, at the same time, the state reform, "Pierre defends Méhaignerie. The animated discussions ahead in the majority!

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Debt: France deserves what score she?

The three major rating agencies have Anglo-Saxon reassured after the deterioration of the U.S. debt rating by Standard & Poor's: France, with a AAA, will not follow the same path. At least in the coming months. An agency is an exception, the Chinese Dagong. It gives the country an AA-rating, while preventing it could soon lower it. Large agencies and small news, who's right?

Dagong is not severe with France. "She has a much more negative than Western agencies of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, observes in a note to Patrick Artus, head of economic research at Natixis.Regarding the situation of public finances and potential growth, we can only give reason for Dagong against three major rating agencies. "

But the financial rating of a state that reflects the risk that it does not pay-or-bad debt, is not based solely on purely accounting. Moreover, France does not deserve an AA if only the statistics alone were taken into account by Standard & Poor's, according to calculations of Natixis.

Political risks

"The gap between Dagong and the three major agencies and explained in the apprehension of risk policy and governance," notes Juan Carlos Rodado, economist at Natixis, and author of a study on the methodology of rating agencies. An example: Venezuela has severely noted Standard & Poor's (BB-) by Dagong (BB +), because the former has less confidence in the Chavez government.Moody's, Fitch and Standard & Poor's, unlike Dagong, also place a note on the weight of history. If a country has poorly paid its creditors in the past, such as Russia in 1998, the final verdict will be more severe. This factor discriminates against developing countries, and benefits the West.

At the heart of the statistical arguments, the Chinese agency promotes stronger economic growth and foreign exchange reserves, that is to say the cash generated by an entire economy thanks to exports. This way of clearly favors the emerging countries, major exporters (including China) and catching up economically.

The agency Dagong appears too severe, however, in general, said Jean-Christophe Caffet, an economist in charge of France, Natixis also: "She has placed virtually no major country in the AAA category, and those that are found are the debt markets rather narrow in which we can not really invest, such as Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg and New Zealand. "

Question of Independence

Also emit some doubts about the credibility of the agency Dagong. It has only twenty analysts to rate 67 countries, against 70 to 80 126 Standard & Poor's. In addition, its relationship with the Beijing government cast doubt on some Chinese economists, reports Le Monde. Finally, the same method as slides Juan Carlos Rodado, is not innocent: "When Dagong underestimated so the political risk, we understand the underlying interest."Namely encourage emerging countries close to China.

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The government is mobilizing to the development of telework

Working from home one or two days a week: an impossible dream for most of the French, a reality for many Americans or Scandinavians. While telecommuting is over 30% in Finland, Sweden or the United States, it reaches 18% on average in Europe, it lags behind true in France with a rate of 9%.

However, telework is now greatly facilitated by the development of broadband networks and the boom in smartphones. But the benefits are many, for the employee, but also for businesses and the community. For the employee, it reduces stress, travel time, can increase efficiency and to better balance professional and personal life. For the company, it is a source of local savings and productivity gains.It is also an element of flexibility because it can help extend the service to customers, allowing more time slots adapted to their needs. Finally, for the community, promotes telework planning, reduced emissions of greenhouse gas emissions and relieving congestion. Thus, according to estimates, telecommuting one day a week could reduce by 5% carbon emissions.

Main obstacle: the manager

With this in mind, Eric Besson, Minister of Industry, is determined to eliminate the backlog of France. Pragmatic, he launched a study on the practice of telework in large companies. The results of this study will be published later this year.Conducted by the consulting firm Greenworking, this study aims to identify best practices and identify key success factors to foster the spread of teleworking in France. More than a dozen major companies have already agreed to participate in the study.

In the public sector, negotiations on telework in 2011. In the private sector, a dozen agreements were signed last year in large groups in the CAC 40. Based on volunteering, telework arrangements have been set up at Renault, Alcatel-Lucent, Dassault Systems, EDF, France Telecom and Microsoft. Axa, which has 76 telecommuters, the goal is to move to 200 people by the end of 2012.

But the brakes remain. Rather than legal, they are primarily cultural.Some employees are more justification in their work attendance and their results. But it is mainly the managers who are often opposed, fearing the loss of part of their power and status … Even if, ultimately, the overall results of their teams are improved.