Towards a new record for Christmas SMS

The record is broken every year and 2010 is no exception to the rule operators are preparing for a new tidal wave of SMS for Christmas and especially for the night New Year's Eve.

Orange and expects a 40% increase with 275 million text messages sent by its customers on 1 January. SFR think beyond the threshold of 220 million SMS (+30%) on the night of Dec. 31. Bouygues Telecom expects 113 million SMS 31 and 195 million on 1 January, a total of 308 million text messages in two days (against 184 million last year). At the height of the evening, between midnight and 1 hour, "Orange anticipates a peak of 25,000 SMS per second, against 18,000 last year.Is thirty times more than ordinary day, "says Stephan Kanis, COO Orange services.

Especially, new this year, traders expect a flight of MMS (short message with pictures or video), because of the democratization of smartphones, such Apple's iPhone, which makes sending these messages much easier . While now a few clicks, they should be up by more than a third. Bouygues Telecom table even on a double to 1.2 million MMS Dec. 31 (against 608,000 last year) and 2.4 million on 1 January (cons 1.1 million).

No financial jackpot

If the networks are strained, operators, accustomed to these seasonal peaks, do not fear failure. Each year they are preparing by adding equipment in their "SMS centers, and building their teams.Orange will therefore mobilize additional 125 people, and SFR 70 people in the centers of supervision of their network, located in Paris and Lyon.

Despite these new records, operators should not even reach the level cap this year. For between the boom and the rise of smartphones with unlimited SMS packages, uses exploded. "There is no substitution of different media against each other. All are growing, "says Guillaume de Lavallade, director of network solutions of SFR.Moreover, voice calls, too, increase during the holidays, both fixed (three times more traffic) on the mobile (twice).

If these traffic spikes are not a financial jackpot for the operators (SMS are often already included in the packages and not charged more), they are for the operators a major showcase to demonstrate their technological know-how.

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Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the graphic

Controllers' strike: Madrid considering the state of alert

Air traffic was still paralyzed on Saturday morning in Spain by a wildcat strike controllers that surprised the country on Friday at the start of a long weekend. An Extraordinary Council of Ministers was to begin at 9 am (8:00 GMT). The government might decide could "alert status", under which air traffic controllers who do not present their positions are threatened with prison.

Despite the government's decision to entrust the Friday night air control to the army, no traffic recovery has taken place this morning. "The situation is the same as yesterday. There are no flights. Only transoceanic flights arrive at Madrid Barajas said Saturday morning, a spokesman for the Airport Authority (Aena), noting that the situation was the same throughout the country. Almost all of Spanish airspace has been closed since Friday evening.

A great many Spaniards were preparing to leave Friday for a five-day long bridge, the beginning of next week being a holiday in Spain when, a wildcat strike broke out. Thousands of stranded passengers spent the night at airports, including the Madrid Barajas where only a few transatlantic flights have landed since the previous day. Many told that they had received no information on their flight, and filled at random sheets claim.A great many Spaniards were preparing to leave Friday for a five-day long bridge, the beginning of next week being a holiday in Spain when, a wildcat strike broke out.

Opposition to the maximum working time

Air traffic controllers left their jobs in late afternoon to protest against a measure adopted shortly before the Council of Ministers, peaking at 1,670 hours per year working time.

It was part of the device of partial privatization of airport management Authority (Aena) adopted by the government under new anti-crisis measures.

At Madrid airport, a sign warned in Spanish and English that "all flights are canceled until 10 am (9:00 GMT) because of the massive abandonment of their posts by air traffic controllers."Another passenger, Luis Garcia, 41, arrived in the night drive from Asturias, northern Spain, his flight was canceled Friday evening. "Many people slept in the airport," he said.

He was to leave for Shanghai via Zurich and was waiting at the counter of the Swiss company with a friend, Enrique Fernandez, 44, who took the same flight to Zurich and then went to New York."We miss our flight at a time and correspondence," remarked Luis.

(With AFP)

ka-sg/lbAgence AFP

Date 12/04/2010 10:03

The title still paralyzed air traffic in Spain

MADRID ESP Location

Keyword Spain Aviation Social tourism economy

Social Economy Class

Priority 4

Controllers' strike – Spain is considering the state of emergency

SPAIN-CONTROLLERS-GOVERNMENT (SPECIAL EDITION): Controllers Strike – Spain is considering the state of emergency

MADRID, Dec. 4 (Reuters)

– The Spanish authorities had threatened on Saturday to declare a state of emergency if the air traffic controllers on strike will not return to work.

"If the situation does not normalize, the government declared a state of emergency," warned Alfredo Rubalcaba, Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, during an extraordinary Council of Ministers.

"The controllers will be requisitioned and if they do not return to work, the case will be forwarded immediately to justice and they will be prosecuted for a crime punishable by prison," he added.

Control of airspace is currently provided by the Spanish army. Air traffic controllers, whose walkout has affected 250,000 passengers, are in conflict with the AENA airport management to pay issues and working conditions. (Paul Day, Jean-Philippe Lefief for the French service)

AFP

Still paralyzed air traffic in Spain

MADRID, 04 Dec 2010 (AFP)

Spain-aviation-economic-social-tourism

Air traffic was still paralyzed on Saturday morning in Spain by a wildcat strike by air traffic controllers, with traffic virtually zero in the country's airports including Madrid, said the airport authority.

"The situation is the same as yesterday.There are no flights.Only transoceanic flights arrive at Madrid Barajas, "said a spokeswoman for Aena, adding that the situation was the same throughout the country.

The Spanish government announced Friday night that he confided to the military management of air traffic control because of the strike that had erupted a few hours earlier after a dispute over working hours.

Almost all of Spanish airspace has been closed since Friday evening.

An Extraordinary Council of Ministers is scheduled for Saturday morning and could declare a "state of alert," said Deputy Prime Minister, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, warning that air traffic controllers who will not show up at their workstations are threatened with prison.

The Spanish government ordered the military to ensure the air traffic control, announced last night the interior minister, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, after the walkout controllers that caused the closure of airspace.

"As representatives of controllers did not end their movement, we decided (…) activate the mechanisms in this kind of situation," said Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba during a conference Press.

"The chief minister (Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, ed) asked the Department of Defense to control the direction of general air throughout the territory," he added.

This measure will be effective until "the civilian controllers returned to service as normal," he said.

The Chief of Staff of the army will take all decisions necessary for the organization, planning, supervising and monitoring the inspectors, "says Rubalcaba.

Air traffic controllers left their jobs Friday at 5:00 p.m. (1600 GMT), forcing the closure of most of Spanish airspace.

This closure occurs in full leaving for vacation of five days, the beginning of next week being a holiday in Spain. "This causes serious disruption of air traffic throughout Spain" and affects nearly 250,000 people, according to Aena.

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Areva dream of an IPO

The opening of Areva capital takes a new turn. The nuclear group will consider to use the Exchange to raise funds. Currently, Areva is listed in the form of investment certificates, which represent about 4% of capital. This part could be enlarged, according to Les Echos newspaper that quotes several representatives.

The Chairman of the Executive Group, Anne Lauvergeon, this track would have mentioned last week during a European group committee. The newspaper said two other scenarios have been identified to finance the huge investments to come: the rise of the Strategic Investment Fund (ISF) to capital and a merger between Areva's mining division and Eramet, the French producer of nickel and manganese, which Areva already owns 26%.

An Areva spokesman declined to comment late Wednesday that information cash advance no fax.

A six-year-old project

The idea of expanding the capital of Areva for the floating group of 4% to between 35% to 40% on the stock exchange was considered in 2004 before being abandoned. He resurfaced today in a context of difficult negotiations between the state, which holds more than 93% of Areva, and the three foreign funds may participate in a capital increase of the nuclear group: Qatar's sovereign wealth funds and Kuwait, and Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Anne Lauvergeon said Wednesday that it was not central to the negotiations around the capital increase of the group, referring to state decisions on the subject.

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Strikes: what to expect on Tuesday

The Inter promised a mobilization of "very large" Tuesday and confirms another day of action this Saturday, October 16. In several sectors, notably transport, energy, public service or refinery, the federations have called for strikes renewable.

Transportation

• SNCF

The seven federations of railway (CGT, UNSA, Southern Rail and Fgaac-CFDT, FOR, CFTC, CFE-CGC) have endorsed the principle of a renewed strike from Monday evening at 22:30.

– TGV train on average three

– B: four out of ten trains on the side of

– Transilien: traffic peak will be close to "four trains of ten" average

– Coral: a train on average for three trains Corail day.

– Eurostar normal traffic

– Thalys: eight out of ten trains

"The list of trains will be posted in each station and all ticket (…) outline will be valid for the period to board any train traveling on that day considered the relationship". "Customers prefer to cancel a trip with a reservation for a train of the period may do so without charge at the counter, whatever the price," said SNCF.

Information:

http://www.sncf.com http://www.infolignes.com http://www.abcdtrains.com

Hotlines:

0.805.90.36.35 for Outline, TER, and Intercity Téoz 0.805.70.08.05 for Transiliensncf.mobi for real-time access to information on mobile

• RATP (Paris Metro)

The CGT, Sud, FOR and CFDT RATP filed a notice of indefinite strike from October 12.The union UNSA-transport, which includes drivers of subway, RER, buses and trams, himself has decided not to call workers to strike next Tuesday.

Significant disruptions ahead in the RER but limited in buses and subways.

– Metro:

Lines 1, 11, 14: Traffic normalLigne 6: three trains on quatreLignes 3, 3a, 4, 8, 13, two trains on troisLignes 2, 5, 7, 7a, 9, 10, 12: a second train

– Buses and trams:

Three out of four bus ride and should be almost normal traffic on the network of trams. T1 only three trains will run on four.

– RER:

RER A: a second train, with an interconnection maintained at Nanterre Préfecture

RER B: a train every five rush hour. Station Denfert-Rochereau is the starting point and terminus for all trains.

Information:

http://www.ratp.fr

Freephone:

0.800.15.11.11

• Urban (by province)

The notice of strike filed by the federation CGT covers the period from October 12 to 30 in transport in provincial towns. Strike notices were filed by 85 companies of 111 urban transport networks.

– Of these 85 networks, 49 of them have filed strike notice 24 hours non-renewable, as at Aix-les-Bains, Arles, Clais, Cannes, Dunkerque, Lille, Limoges, Lyon, Nice, La Rochelle, Toulon, Tours and Vienna.

– For 29 of them, foresaw these have a renewable period of 24 hours, as in Angers, Avignon, Bourges, Grenoble, Marseille, Montepellier, Nantes, Rennes and Toulouse.

– Setp networks filed a notice of less than four hours in Agen, Beziers, Brest, Forbach, Saint-Malo, Saint-Nazaire and Tarbes.

• Air France

The unions called a strike for 24 hours. Currently, the CGT, however, said "reflect a renewed strike." The airline plans to cancel some flights short and medium haul (domestic and European).Long-haul flights are not affected however.

The Directorate of Civil Aviation provides for the cancellation of its share 30% of flights at the airports of Roissy and Beauvais, half of flights at Orly.

Useful numbers: 36 cash advance.54

• Ports and Docks

Ports and Docks The CGT has called for renewed strike in all ports of France from Tuesday in all sectors (cleanliness, rail and airport handling, fish trading, river transport, marinas and marine).

The National Federation of Maritime Unions (FNSM) CGT also called marine commerce and fisheries in renewable strike starting on 12 October.

• Public

The General Union of Federations of staff-CGT (CGT-UGFF) announced Thursday the filing of a notice of strike action covering the period from October 12 to 18 inclusive cons of pension reform. The CGT has also filed a notice covering all public services until the end of the month.

For its part, the Federation of Public Service CGT said in a statement it had filed a strike notice covering the period from October 12 to 30.

• Education

The SNUI-PP, first union at the first level (nursery and primary schools), and the SNES, the main union for secondary school teachers, called the strike for the day of 12 October. According to the Ministry of Education, the strike rate expected in the first degree is 27.17% against 33.53% during the strike of 23 September. No figures are available for the second degree.

Unions and students FIDL UNL invite students to demonstrate alongside employees. The main student union, UNEF, called for a day "facs dead." South Students also calls for the mobilization in all universities.

• Job center

Solidarity Federation South-job calls for a renewed strike after October 12 and filed a notice to that effect by day 24 from 13.

• Energy

Five unions (CGT, CFDT, FOR, CFTC, CFE / CGC) called the strike on Tuesday.The CGT has filed a notice of indefinite strike in the areas of gas and electricity from Tuesday, which could lead to walkouts at EDF and GDF Suez, announcing cuts costs and cuts targeted at certain enterprises or on public buildings.

CGT federation of chemistry, on which the employees of the oil sector, also calls for renewed strike.

Ten refineries in France over 12 voted in favor of the strike, including eight in favor of a renewed strike. The 13th French refinery in Dunkirk, voted to strike but does not produce more oil since 2009.

While officials at oil terminals at Fos-Lavera enter their fourteenth day of the strike, the refinery from Total-La Mede began Sunday procedures shutdown progressive and the Donges refinery (44), which supplies all the western France.

• La Poste and France Telecom

Sud PTT union, second largest union at La Poste and France Telecom, called for renewed strike in two public companies from Tuesday.

• Audiovisual

Unions CGT, FOR and CFTC France Televisions filed their notice of strike renewable.

• Judiciary

The Union of Magistrates (DM), at the left, calls a strike on October 12 while the other union body, the Union of Magistrates (USM majority) advocates a more moderate.

Noting that judges have no formal right to strike, it does not use the term, but called on its members to refer non-emergency hearings on October 12.

• Prison Service

CGT-prison has filed a strike notice to all employees of 12 to 18 October.

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Potash: funds are organizing to counter BHP Billiton

Competition from BHP Billiton organized. According to the Sunday Times this Sunday, the Canadian pension fund Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (TPPO) would have discussed with Temasek, the Singapore sovereign wealth fund, the launch of a cons-offer for the acquisition of Potash. Goal: cut the grass under the feet of mining giant that has 39 billion dollars to get their hands on the world's largest fertilizer. The British newspaper wrote that the two funds have already found an industrial partner, which could be the Canadian mining company Teck.

For now, discussions are at a preliminary stage but the two funds are considering an offer to either buy or take a minority stake in Potash at a price higher than that proposed by BHP.

The Times and The Sunday Telegraph also reported that Potash is reviewing various options, including a dismantling of its activities to counter the bid from BHP Billiton. According to both newspapers, the leading global manufacturer of fertilizers could include business for sale in nitrogen and phosphorus. An operation that would allow him to pay a dividend of $ 70 per share to its shareholders.

TPPO, which have received significant support from the Canadian state, was not immediately reachable for comment, while Potash did not want to do.

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The cyclical stocks boost the CAC 40

After Wall Street closed Wednesday up 0.45% at 10,387 points, and that Portugal has managed its two bond issues for more than one billion euros on Wednesday, the CAC 40 is trying to make a step forward Thursday: Mid-term, it increases from 0.55% to 3697.30 points. The London Stock Exchange ahead of his side of 0.80% to 5,473.30 points and Frankfurt from 0.36% to 6186.50 points.

However, the atmosphere is not particularly enthusiastic about the macroeconomic perspective.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) the slowdown in global economic recovery could be larger than expected and the growth of the G7 countries could drop to 1.5% in the second quarter of 2010. For the U.S., the OECD expects a loss of power in the fourth quarter to 1.4% from 2.0% to 1.6% in the third against the second and 3.7% in the first.In France, growth decelerated from 2.5% in the second quarter at 0.7% and 0.3% in the third to fourth.

For its part, the Fed chairman, Ben Bernanke, has shown concern about the U.S. household consumption and real estate and industrial sectors.

Lastly, the Minister of Economy Christine Lagarde, has adopted the same attitude as regards the European Union, the recovery remains "fragile".

Europe, the United States and Japan under scrutiny

The French economy has recorded 26,200 net new jobs employees in the second quarter (+0.1% from the previous quarter, 0% yoy), according to final data released Thursday by the INSEE.

Moreover, the numbers of real estate in Paris and Ile de France for the second quarter were impressive: house prices soared again in Ile-de-France, as before the crisis, and central Paris is to beat his record with an average transaction price of 6,680 euros per square meter.

In Germany, inflation slowed in August, 1% year on year, against 1.2% in July, said Thursday the Federal Statistics Office, confirming preliminary figures released earlier. In one month, rising prices in Europe's largest economy is unchanged.

The European Central Bank and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will publish its monthly report in the morning.

Finally, several indicators are expected in the U.S.: the weekly claims for unemployment benefits (1430), the trade figures for the month of July (1430) and the weekly crude oil inventories (1630).

On the currency markets, the euro lost ground against the dollar Thursday, falling below the 1.27 dollars, while the market is concerned about the contraction of GDP of Greece 3.7% annual in the second quarter.Around 9:00, the single currency was worth 1.2688 dollars (-0.24%).

Banking and automotive honor

Among the largest increases CAC 40 listed banking stocks and automobiles.

BNP Paribas gained 1,10% to 54.09 euros, Credit Agricole advance of 1.82% to 10.65 euros and Societe Generale climbed from 1.67% to 42.85 euros. Markets were reassured after the economy minister said in an interview with The Tribune that European banks will not apply to its new regulatory framework "Basel III if the United States are reluctant to impose their financial institutions.

Peugeot (3.48% to 22.42 euros) and Renault (3.09% to 35.23 euros) are the two largest increases in the CAC 40 in mid-session.

EADS (18.32% to 1.69 euro) is in discussions with a small number of defense companies, services and security for potential acquisitions and could easily make a purchase about one billion euro, said Wednesday Louis Welsh, Director General of the European group.

Total (+0.16% at 38.72 euros) gained 20% Thursday to a major liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Australia for about 625 million euros, driven by Australian groups Santos and Malaysia's Petronas .

Telecoms uncoordinated

Sanofi-Aventis (0.98% to 48.26 euros) would have made a new proposal to buy U.S. biotech Genzyme at $ 71 a share, against $ 69 offered previously, according to Deal Reporter, a financial services group Affiliated to the Financial Times.In exchange, Sanofi-Aventis requests access to the accounts of Genzyme.

The Australian competition authority has opposed the second time Thursday to veto the bid of 8.65 billion euros from National Australia Bank on Axa Asia Pacific (AXA, -1.61% at 12 80 euros), which could force the Australian bank to abandon a project begun nine months ago.

Bercy has announced a proposal to apply the VAT rate from 19.6% to the full tender "triple play" which would allow the state to reap hundreds of millions of euros in revenues Additional in a tight budgetary situation. France Telecom gained 0.09% at 16.27 euros) and Bouygues Telecom rose 0.76% to 32.28 euros).However, Iliad 1.79% drops to 73.48 euros and SFR (Vivendi Group) lost 0.31% to 19.47 euros

Moreover, the Polish subsidiary of France Telecom could publish a third-quarter loss after being ordered to pay 396 million euros to Danish DPTG, said Wednesday its chief financial officer.

Outside the CAC 40, the automotive supplier Plastic Omnium (+0.05% at 38.76 euros) announced Thursday that it completed the redemption of the world leader in fuel systems, Inergy Automotive Systems, which expects to achieve a turnover about 1.1 billion euros this year.

The buyout offer (OPR), followed by a squeeze on the Eiffarie APRR (balance 54.06 euros) will open September 10 for a period of ten days of negotiations.

British defense groups have reported Wednesday that the government had requested to consider the cancellation of orders for new aircraft carriers. The vessels are built by a consortium of BAE System, Babcock International and Thales (26.70% to 0.47 euros) at a cost of five more than five billion pounds (6.1 billion euros).

Korian (3.60% to 17 euros), specializing in the management of addiction, has announced a 24.3% increase in net profit to 8 million euros, 26.1% of its results operating on the basis of an increase of 6.8% of its turnover in the first half.

Banier: 710,000 euros per year L'Oreal

The case Bettencourt rebounds in the economic field. Le Monde said in its edition dated 31 July, the bonds that unite Francois-Marie Banier, this time not to Liliane Bettencourt directly, but to society that it is the first shareholder, L'Oreal. The newspaper said the cosmetics group had concluded in 2001 a "sponsorship agreement" and a "service contract" with society Héricy, founded in 1996 by Francois-Marie Banier. The friend of Liliane Bettencourt would receive each year and 710,000 euros per year under these two contracts, and until December 31, 2011. Income is slightly lower than, for example, the patron of Michelin, Michel Rollier.

The day of the signing of these agreements, whose existence was confirmed by lawyer Francois-Marie Banier, it would have sent a letter to the former CEO of L'Oreal, Lindsay Owen-Jones, making reference to payments "Dear Lindsay, It is with great emotion that I have just signed the contract that allows me to work even for ten years without the desire to please," wrote François-Marie Banier, already accused by Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, the daughter of Liliane Bettencourt, "abuse of weakness" on the person of his mother.

This time, it is the shareholders who turned against Francois-Marie Banier. According to Le Monde, citing the lawyer Frederik-Karel Canoy, a sixty shareholders have decided to join the approach of Michel Tiphineau, a retiree who has already filed complaints against Francois-Marie Banier 5 July last for abuse of corporate assets .The Paris prosecutors opened a preliminary inquiry, which has been entrusted to police the financial police.

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Fraud against European subsidies is well

Fraud increases but is a good sign. This is the ironic conclusion drawn Wednesday by the European Commission in a report dedicated to the illegal use of EU funds.

According to Brussels, the increase in cases of mismanagement is not due to the proliferation of financial crimes in Europe, but better tracking by member states for fraud.

You'd think they were particularly pugnacious this year. Three times as many cases of suspected fraud were detected in the use of agricultural subsidies and twice more for regional grants from 2008. The sums involved amounted respectively to 13.3 million euros and 109 million euros.

Same trend towards aid allocated to countries applying for accession, including the amount of suspected fraud increased from 13 to 57 million euros in 2009.Bulgaria alone has 92% of suspected fraud in the management of a fund dedicated to the modernization of its agriculture. Anomalies in the invoices or purchase orders, payments in cash, big difference between the estimated price of an investment and actual cost … a body of evidence exists to detect the rogue actions.

France, a very good or very bad student?

France is characterized by a number of suspicions of fraud very low. The country has seen 20% of farm subsidies between 2006 and 2009 – which is considerable – but reported only 11 cases of alleged fraud, against 25 for its Belgian neighbor that affects a much leaner about 0.3% of agricultural budget over the same period.

Again, the result can be interpreted in two ways: either France demonstrated exemplary management, or it does not endeavor to transfer cases at issue in Brussels No fax pay day loans. Last summer, Le Parisien had raised such a hare revealing hundreds of millions of euros of aid unduly paid to producers of fruits and vegetables.

France declares little fraud as it says little irregularities. In the latter case, there is no real desire to harm (omission of an invoice for example). In 2009, the country has reported that 127 irregularities in Brussels on agricultural subsidies, which is four times less than Spain.

"We have no evidence but the fact is that France is still reporting a low number of defects in comparison with other member states.The European Commission and the Agency for Combating Fraud Office (OLAF is a kind of European financial police, ed), does not conduct audits in Member States. We must therefore assume that their reporting is accurate and reliable, "says one side of the European Commission.

Despite these shortcomings, the work of Olaf has identified some emblematic fraud. A company based in Luxembourg is ordered to reimburse for example 2 million euros of EU funds have placed in an account offshore instead of investing in the recruitment of a hundred people. In late June, a Bulgarian was sentenced to 12 years in prison for falsifying invoices: he pretended to buy new machines for receiving EU aid. The machines were actually purchased used, which enabled it to illegally gather 7.5 million euros.

Salaries most dynamic in Germany, France

The basic monthly salary was "slightly more active in Germany than in France in 2009, amid slowing earnings in both countries related to a labor market deteriorated and a virtual stagnation in prices, according to a study published Monday by the INSEE. In the non-agricultural market sector, the basic monthly wage increased an annual average of 2.2% in France and 2.7% in Germany (excluding inflation), a rate lower than in 2008 (three % in both countries).

"This slowdown is due to the deterioration of the labor market in 2009 and the near stagnation of prices, which have dampened wage bargaining in both countries," according to INSEE, using statistics French and German.Illustration of this slowdown, the increase in the minimum wage was 1.3% on 1 July 2009 in France, against 3% on average in 2008, notes the National Institute of Statistics and studies économiques.En Germany, reductions number of hours of work and temporary suspension of increase weighed on earnings, but the slowdown of the basic wage was only 0.3 percentage points in 2009 compared to 2008.

Since the wage agreements are multi-annual index-some grids had indeed been negotiated before the economic crisis.The new agreed increases in the second half of 2009, however, were "much smaller" than previous years and there were very few new wage agreements during this period, noted INSEE.

Virtually zero inflation in 2009

Taking into account inflation, "virtually zero in 2009 in the two countries' basic pay has" increased significantly "on both sides of the Rhine, but again more in Germany (+2.5% after +0.2% in 2008) and France (+2.1%, after -0.2% in 2008).

This comparison between wages in France and Germany came as the country was criticized by some of its partners, including France, to encourage low wages to enhance its competitiveness at the expense of its neighbors.

Germany argues that governments have no influence on the evolution of salaries – there is no general minimum wage in Germany – and has no intention to curb the competitiveness of its companies.