The Paris daily reprieve in Normandy

 

The new, bad, is not yet official but could be announced to employees on a works council to be held Monday, February 27: Paris Normandy could file for bankruptcy. According to the union SNJ, the regional newspaper, owned by Hersant Media (GHM), after considering a social "scale" would be forced into this solution and, more broadly, the entire division titles Norman Group Hersant Media, which includes, besides Paris-Normandie, Havre Free daily newspapers, Le Havre-Presse and The Progress of Fecamp, and their weekly supplements.

The direction of DRG does not comment. But the situation of his pole Norman is actually very difficult. The paid circulation daily Paris-Normandie has dropped 23% since 2006 to just 52,606 copies at last count of OJD. That of other securities decreased by 26% in five years.

"We fear to a social minimum, at worst a bankruptcy filing," said the AFP-Benoît Marin Curtoud, delegate from Paris to Normandy SNJ.

Discussions with the Belgian Rossel

While DRG is continuing discussions with the Belgian group Rossel to create a joint venture of leading regional dailies in France, the pole Norman seems to be a final hurdle before the conclusion of an agreement. According to the SNJ, the Company Norman publishing and printing (SNPEI), which publishes such titles and employs 365 employees including 114 journalists have registered last year a deficit of EUR 2 million and annual sales of around 40 million.

For the Hersant Media Group, which has already had to close last November Comareg (Released Sold) resulting in the heaviest social of 2011 in France (1650 employees), the liquidation of Paris Normandy would be a second crushing defeat.

Greece: into an agreement Monday with the Eurogroup

 

White smoke comes not yet held Monday in Brussels, where a decisive meeting of the Eurogroup on Greece. It comes from the Italian Presidency in Rome, and the headquarters of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt.

After a phone conversation with Angela Merkel and Prime Minister of Greece Lucas Papademos, Friday, Mario Monti issued a statement encouraging: "At the end of this conversation, which came in the details and which was conducted in a constructive spirit, three participants were confident that an agreement on Greece can be reached Monday, the Eurogroup. "

So far, mistrust prevailed. Especially since the previous Eurogroup, on Greece, was canceled Wednesday. "This time, an agreement is likely," said Jean Pisani-Ferry, director of the Bruegel think-tank in Brussels. "Otherwise it's too late, there will master more technical details …", he adds.

The challenge of this size Eurogroup is: give Greece its private creditors and the green light to launch the second bailout of Greece, estimated at 130 billion euros, to avoid a default in Greek debt falls from 14.5 billion euros on March 20.

That Greece is committed to the reforms demanded by the troika, beyond the April elections, Germany, Finland and the Netherlands had planned mid-week to split the bailout to not pay, firstly, that the sum needed to rescue private, or 30 billion euros payday loans. 

Exchange of debt

But this scenario is complicated, difficult to read for the markets, has been criticized by the IMF and European lawyers, who see it as a source of additional blocking with private creditors, asked to relinquish 70% of the value of their securities. "This option is no longer on the table," said Deputy German Finance Minister, Thomas Steffen. "We are ready to have a solid basis for a decision Monday," says the German Finance Ministry in Berlin.

The European Central Bank has brought his stone to an eventual agreement. Its chairman, Mario Draghi, submitted Thursday night, the vote of the Governors, the exchange of 50 billion euros of Greek bonds, which should allow eventually to redistribute 12 billion euros to Greece, which allocated to debt repayment countries.

ALSO READ:

"Greece: relieved markets, Europe remains wary

"Uncertainties in Athens weigh on the euro

"The ECB is ready to fly to the rescue of Greece

All can be rented on the Internet, but at what cost?

 

After the real success of online shopping sites like eBay, PriceMinister, or the Bon Coin, the new trend is for rent on the Net. Many small e-rental sites, as Zilok, Goopes or Consoloc, abounds on the Web, reflecting the popularity of the French for "eat smart", or just how to use a product when it is needed. Today, the market leader and pioneer in France, e-rents, Argus publishes the first charter, based on tens of thousands of locations identified by the site for three years. "The Argus does not set prices, it indicates to users who have no idea of ​​the rental value of their purpose, how it can be rented and how it can bring," said Alexandre Woog, the founder of a start-up incubated with HEC.

So a bike is rented 10 euros per day, a barbecue 8 euros, 5 euros a vacuum cleaner, a hair remover 10 euros, 30 euros a stereo, a battery 45 euros, a snowboard 7 euros, 25 euros a cement mixer, a road car 55 euro, 1 euro a puzzle, etc.. The list is not exhaustive as rental properties are varied and sometimes unusual: there are spy cameras, to strip bars, disco buses, limousines, and even goats to 10 euros per day, to unravel his garden!

The concept of "collaborative consumption"

Woog Alexander, the founder of e-rents, will export its online rental site in Europe.

Change the marriage contract to better protect her husband

Your matrimonial is it still fits your financial situation? Through the acquisitions made during the life, property division rules established by the initial marriage contract may no longer meet the needs of the couple, including the death of one spouse.

The rules of succession are now more protective of the surviving spouse. They guarantee him at his option, the option of retaining the use of all of the assets of the deceased, or to obtain full ownership of one quarter of those assets. The question arises, however, with respect to the principal residence, especially when children are involved. If one spouse wants more protection, it is possible, by gift or by will to assign ownership of property.

A subway project in the Channel

Do we take the subway to Calais soon the morning to work in 25 minutes on the other side of the Channel in Ashford, and go home at night by the same means? This is the project defended tooth and nail by an association of French entrepreneurs in southern England. The Union of French Citizens Abroad organized Thursday a day of employment and business in the region where the project was presented shuttle Channel.

Olivier Cadic, an entrepreneur of 49 years, Councillor elected to the Assembly of French abroad, moved to Ashford fifteen years ago "because it was the first stop on the Eurostar," to escape the French tax burden, creating a media outcry.It was followed by other entrepreneurs from ready to provide many jobs.

"It's hard to recruit because the high cost of real estate in Kent do not allow employees to set up small, explains Olivier Cadic. An electronics company came along with me, which now employs 1,500 people, would be willing to offer 100 jobs immediately. Or just on the other side of the Channel to Calais, there is 25% unemployment. The TER of the Pas de Calais stops at the entrance of the tunnel. It's absurd. "

For 2012 Olympics

For its proponents, the metro project under the English Channel would be easily achievable. Eight TER trains purchased by the Nord-Pas de Calais originally for a project linking Lille-Manchester, could very well use the tunnel to get to Ashford in less than half an hour cash advance now.Eurotunnel, used only 55% of its capacity, is all for this binding would increase its revenues. SNCF, partner Southeastern Railway on the other side of the Channel, did not object either.

Consul General of France in London, Edouard Braine, is optimistic. "It's a certainty it will happen. Just look at a map and see that there is full complementarity between the two regions. Cross-border workers are already doing this ride by carpooling Eurotunnel but that's not very practical. And this is not the business of Eurostar to the local service. "The high speed train between Paris and Ashford has phased out most of his stops at Calais and London to optimize speed between the two capitals.In addition, its prices are prohibitive for commuting.

The ball is in the camp of the Nord-Pas de Calais, which seems to drag to decide. One question: is there a sufficiently large market to recoup such an operation? The members of the association believe that the London Olympics in 2012 would be a great opportunity to launch the line.

ALSO READ:

"Eurostar promises to invest to better prepare its trains

"INTERVIEW – Gounon," We must modernize the railway "

"Happy as a French in London

The newspaper editors united against Apple

The French press bristled. In a joint statement, the leading provider of daily newspapers and magazine announced Friday that it will not NewsStand titles in the digital kiosk that has just been launched by Apple with its new mobile operating system (IOS 5) . Digital versions of newspapers are accessible via the iPhone and iPad applications.

"The trading conditions imposed by Apple today are unacceptable," consider the union of the national daily press (SPQN), the Union of the regional daily press (SPQR), the SPM, which represents the magazine, and professional union the magazine of opinion (SPPMO)."They are undermining the economic model of the press and ultimately reduce the choices available to Internet users."

Newspaper publishers have stalled on several issues with Apple charges for the sale of newspapers imposed, failure to provide subscription multi-platform and commission rates, considered "excessive". It is 30% for any sale in the App Store – be it a press title, a video game or a piece of music. But more than the standard rate of commission is the loss of control over customer relationships that worries the press."Personal data readers are the property of Apple and are not systematically shared with publishers, yet anxious to establish a relationship of trust with their readers to better take into account their expectations, 'the publishers.

Call for government

These criticisms have emerged since the launch of the platform download App Store in 2008 and is shared by publishers around the world. Newspapers have tried to deal with the manufacturer in developing their own applications, offering subscriptions multi-platform on their websites and enlançant a common digital kiosk application in late June (e-Presse premium). But the very existence of the latter is now threatened by NewsStand."We have not intended to be distributed by a single booth, but we want to be distributed under normal conditions," said one editor.

French media owners could benefit from the organization of the conference "New World 2.0" by Minister Eric Besson, this weekend, to educate government and foreign players to their difficulties. The battle is not won. As with Condé Nast, some media groups have signed with Apple in the U.S. while their French subsidiary belongs to the anti-sling NewsStand.

ALSO READ:

"The digital kiosk Epress starts

"Google offers an alternative to the iPad Press

"The press launches digital kiosk

Barroso wants to recapitalize "emergency" banks

"The speed of the European Union should not be that of its slowest member," hammered José Manuel Barroso on Tuesday before the European Parliament. In the aftermath of the rejection of strengthening the European Fund for assistance to indebted countries (EFSF) by the Slovak Parliament, the President of the European Commission urged member countries to continue efforts to stop the contagion of sovereign debt crisis in the area euro. Jose Manuel Barroso called for a recapitalization "emergency" banks as part of a "roadmap" gathering proposals from the Commission to support the banking sector.The latter, weakened by the debt crisis, is under pressure from the collapse of the Franco-Belgian Dexia facility.

Bank recapitalization should be conducted in a "coordinated" by members of the euro area to counter "the threat of systemic crisis that is taking shape," said José Manuel Barroso. Specifically, it proposes to raise the minimum capital "hard" of banks, without giving precise figures. To achieve this, banks must first use of private sources of funding and, if necessary, seek the support of the national authority. If the state is not able to provide the necessary assistance to the bank, a loan will be contracted by the EFSF.

In the absence of recapitalization, the banks should not pay bonuses or dividends, said Jose Manuel Barroso.Their exposure to sovereign debt should be evaluated "in a transparent manner overnight pay day loans."

The EFSF, rose to be replaced mid-2012

In addition, the sixth tranche of aid to Greece must be paid, said the President of the Commission. The country should also get a second loan that would be based on "sufficient funding for the participation of public and private sectors."

Other Commission proposals: the EFSF must be increased to "maximize" his strike force. This must be done through a "leveraged" with no financial guarantees for new states. In addition, Jose Manuel Barroso called again to accelerate the establishment of permanent mechanism should succeed the EFSF. The "European Financial Stability Mechanism" (MES) is projected by the President of the Commission, to take effect mid-2012, not mid-2013 as planned.With 500 billion euros of lending capacity, this mechanism would directly buy the debt of the states in the primary market, not like today only in loans.

Finally, José Manuel Barroso is also income, without naming them, the "Eurobonds", or "Eurobonds", mentioned as a solution to the debt crisis. The Commission will present by the end of the year, a proposal to allow the creation of the "obligations of stability."

ALSO READ:

"Europe is willing to recapitalize banks

"Brussels pushing to recapitalize banks

Sony wants full control of Sony Ericsson

The maneuvers in mobile telephony will continue. Less than two months after announcing the acquisition of Motorola by Google, it's time for Sony to come forward. The Japanese would be poised to buy out its partner in the joint venture Ericsson they hold a 50/50, according to the Wall Street Journal. Sony said "have made any announcements on this and have no comment."

Becoming once again sole master on board in the phone, Sony get back into the race, while its subsidiary is in full decline. In the latest Gartner, Sony Ericsson does not point only to the tenth place. Unbearable to cope with the rise of Samsung and other HTC.

The share of Swedish would be valued between 1.25 and 1.5 billion euros.Sony Ericsson reported a loss of 50 million euros in the last quarter (ended June 30), strongly impacted by the consequences of the tsunami in Japan. The group felt when the earthquake had prevented the production of 1, 5 million phones.

A very strategic move

A recovery of 100% Sony Ericsson, ten years after the creation of the joint venture fits perfectly with the new guideline from Sony. Since late August, the Japanese never ceases to present the virtues of a strategy "five screens" (TV, PC, tablet, game console and … smartphone). At each speaking orchestrated by Sony, its subsidiary in the phone is a little more present. A to obscure the fact that the group led by Howard Stringer holds only half! While in September, when questioned on the subject by the Figaro, a leader of the group responded, "Why buy expensive our participation? ".Admitting a hint that Sony already felt at home in their joint venture. An attitude that could just as tired Ericsson, which has every reason to feel more deprived.

In addition, Sony ensures highlight the synergies between the different divisions of the group. But the mobile phone is, at present, is a real focal point. The latest Sony Ericsson Xperia smartphones are a perfect summary. They are equipped with optical CyberShot inherited cameras from Sony and for the sound, the Walkman and entertainment, Sony Entertainment. The climax was reached with the Xperia Play, which includes all the features of a PlayStation.

ALSO READ:

"Sony launches two tablets against the iPad

"Sony is considering a future without TV

Crisis: CEOs more pessimistic than in 2008

Worse than the fall of 2008, "58% of business leaders consider an inevitable deterioration in the economic situation," according to the survey conducted in 2011 by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris (CCIP). This survey was conducted during September, with 5000 businesses with fewer than 500 employees, representing the economic fabric of Ile de France and the country as a whole. There were only 48% of patrons to express such a fear in September 2008, at the time of the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, which would trigger a few months later a global recession – in France, in particular, GDP declined by 2.5% in 2009.

A remake of 2008-2009 is in everyone's head. But comparison is not right."Companies now have to pay much less than in 2008 and stocks the contrary, they have much better treasuries, said Pierre-Antoine Gailly, President of the CCIP. For the whole of France, their current account deposits at banks now amount to 180 billion euros, 20 billion more than in 2008. "

The CCIP also notes that if the concern that banks limit access to credit are large, this fear has not yet materialized. Moreover, the dreaded cold snap on the situation at the moment is focused on Europe, while in 2008 it had distributed instantly worldwide. Clearly the multiplier effects that had abruptly fired three years ago now seem less formidable.The current crisis follows a phenomenon much more confidence that it reflects a mechanical depression guaranteed unsecured personal loan.

Bring to a faster response to the crisis in Greece

Thinning can therefore act only through a return of confidence, it says in the CCIP. First in Europe: it is faster to make a response to the crisis in Greece and more generally to uncertainties in the sovereign debt.

Second key point: the situation of banks and their ability to finance the economy. There also should clarify the situation, including the definition of the application of Basel III on capital requirements.

Third dimension, unique to France, the presidential campaign. She never held in such a climate of economic turmoil, with what is more significant questions about a possible alternate.Two factors, by definition, anxiety, do you recognize the CCIP where one refrains from taking sides of course on the merits. Much will depend on the conduct of the presidential campaign, knowing that in times of uncertainty the temptation of inaction is great for business.

Everything will be in the speech

The survey conducted last September marked a sharp decline in climate, especially in SMEs. The synthetic indicator currently stands at 91 down from 106 in September 2006, at the last presidential campaign for SMEs. For larger companies, this indicator is 96 against 104 five years ago. While governments have no fiscal space to influence the deal, everything will be in the speech. The power of words never been so great.

Industry and households demoralized

Optimism has no place in French industry and households. According to the monthly survey published Friday by INSEE, the synthetic indicator of business climate in manufacturing industry fell by six points to 99 points in September, passing below the 100 that corresponds to the average long period for this indicator. "He finds his level of August 2010," INSEE said in a statement.

As for the index of business climate as a whole (including services, construction, wholesale and retail trade), it falls along eight points to 97 points. Clearly, "the economic climate deteriorated in all sectors except construction," says INSEE.

In detail, the entrepreneurs of the manufacturing industry believe that their past activity slows again.They are particularly concerned to see their order books, global and foreign, are down. The situation is similar in both food processing, electrical, electronic and computer in the car, where the activity is expected in sharp decline in the coming months.

Confirming this gloom, the turning point indicator of INSEE has clearly shifted in the red. If it is not necessarily synonymous with recession, "the index is in all cases the echo of a deceleration of growth in all sectors," explains Sandrine Duchêne, head of the department of economic INSEE.

The financial situation of the French deteriorates

Even pessimistic side of French households, whose confidence index has lost five points to 80 points in September, according to data from the institute poor credit personal loans. This is its lowest level since February 2009.This indicator had a slight gain in July (three points) after months of stability. But in September, households appear significantly higher than in July to anticipate an increase in unemployment (23 points).

To this must be added the concerns of their income: between July and September, the opinion of households on their personal financial situation has deteriorated further, the balance corresponding dropping six points. Thus, the French are less numerous than in July to consider appropriate to make major purchases (-5 points). About their nest egg, they also feel that the time is not conducive to spare, the balance being lost 8 points in its long-term average.

According to Sandrine Duchêne, growth forecasts of 0.5% set in June for the third and fourth quarters will soon be downgraded."Since mid-2009, we tablions on a scenario of sluggish growth," said she. But the accumulation of adverse factors, "as the sovereign debt crisis in Europe, or concerns about the economic situation in the United States and China," cloud the prospects for a real recovery in the Hexagon.

ALSO READ:

"The Unedic provides 123,100 more unemployed in 2012