Posts Tagged ‘internet’

04
Jul

Fessenheim: the go-ahead subject to the ASN

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As announced in Le Figaro, the No. 1 reactor of the nuclear Fessenheim (Haut-Rhin) received clearance from the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) to continue operating. He "is able to be operated for a period of ten additional years provided you follow a number of requirements," said Monday the president of the ASN, Andre-Claude Lacoste.

The concrete slab on which was built the reactor must be such "enhanced" before June 30, 2013 "to increase its resistance to corium (molten magma resulting from insufficient cooling of the fuel, Ed) in case of serious accidents with piercing of the tank. "Second "major limitation" on the 40 made by the ASN: EDF will have to install an emergency device designed to remove the residual power "in case of loss of the cold source" before December 31, 2012.

Notice of extension published Monday is worth not discharge. Especially since it was made "subject to the findings of evaluations undertaken additional security after the accident Fukushima," said Andre-Claude Lacoste.

These stress tests requested by France and Europe aimed at assessing the behavior of plants in extreme situations. An "appointment" that could lead to the ASN "strengthen requirements," says its president. It will then EDF or the government to decide whether to continue the operation of reactor.

Monday, environmental groups and antinuclear called for "immediate closing" of Fessenheim.Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, Minister of Ecology responds to Le Figaro.

13
May

The Japanese government unveils plan to save Tepco

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The Japanese government thought about it and he did. The operator of the plant in Fukushima Tepco come under his control. The Japanese government has indeed released Friday details of a financial rescue plan to help compensate victims of the nuclear accident that hit Japan on March 11. "The purpose of this plan is not to bail Tepco, said Friday the Japanese Minister of Economy, but to ensure that victims are properly compensated." The operator will be under the supervision of an independent commission to strengthen the de facto government's influence on the conduct of its affairs.The government project, hotly debated within the team of the Prime Minister's center-left, Naoto Kan, has yet to be voted by Parliament.

Between 26 and 43 billion euros in compensation for victims

This plan includes the creation of a structure financed by both state funds and contributions from various private power companies in Japan. This entity will help Tepco through grants of bonds (5,000 billion yen by the Japanese press) convertible into cash, to compensate the estimated 85,000 victims of the nuclear disaster. Japanese media say that the operator should have to pay from 3000 to 5000 billion yen in total (26 to 43 billion euros).Tepco should also pay annually between 100 and 200 billion yen this structure (from 870 million to 1.74 billion euros), according to Japanese news agency Jiji.

The government even asked the banks that have lent 1.4 trillion yen (11.7 billion euros) to Tepco to waive a portion of their claims vis-à-vis the operator. "People do not understand that public funds are injected into Tepco if banks did not give their side a portion of their claims vis-à-vis the operator of the nuclear power plant in Fukushima," says Government spokesman Yukio Edano credit reports free.

TEPCO will have to sell financial assets and properties

Anxious not to appear to give a blank check to the company criticized for his role in the nuclear incident, the government also demanded that she undergo Tepco a number of conditions. The company will mainly sell financial assets and properties in order to concentrate its resources on the production and distribution of electricity.In addition, the eight most senior executives of the company will also waive any compensation and personnel managers to ordinary workers, will also undergo substantial pay cuts.

In addition to the huge amount of compensation, TEPCO will have to pay an extra bill to increase hydrocarbon production in thermal power stations, eleven of its nuclear reactors have been arrested since the disaster, counting those in the central hilly.Group CEO believes that these additional imports of gas, oil and coal would cost him 1,000 billion yen (8.7 billion euros) over budget during the year to April 2011 to March 2012.

Bank stocks fall at the Tokyo Stock Exchange

Result of this announcement, bank shares fell sharply on the Stock Exchange on Friday: Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group sells at the close of the Tokyo Stock Exchange 3.80% to 2452 yen, Mizuho Financial Group, 2.98% to 130 yen and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group 2.79% to 383 yen.Due to the collapse of the market capitalization of Tepco stock market that has lost more than 80% between March 10 and April 7 last, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) could announce a loss of about 80 billion yen ( 696 million euros), Mizuho Financial Group, 50 billion yen (435 million), and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), 30 billion yen (261 million).

06
May

The Paris Bourse opens at equilibrium

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This is no time to feast on world markets and the Paris Bourse was not really moving. This Friday, the CAC 40 opens just in balance, rising a timid 0.08% at 4008.43 points, retaining the symbolic threshold of 4000 points, and was saved yesterday after a lackluster session. The signals sent from Wall Street are not encouraging, nor those sent by the Asian markets on Friday morning.

Prudence therefore prevents excessive risk taking. Especially as investors await the release earlier this afternoon by the U.S. Department of Labor's highly anticipated monthly report on employment. He should come to confirm the trend shown in recent days across the Atlantic by the wrong numbers ADP and weekly jobless claims.Still on macroeconomic, the French budget deficit stood at 33.6 billion euros at end-March against 28.9 billion a year earlier, according to data released Friday by the Budget Ministry.

German industrial production for March is also expected.

Side currency, the euro rising slightly against the dollar at 1.4566 dollar. The European currency plummeted against the greenback following the announcement by the ECB yesterday kept the interest rates at their current levels until at least July. On the commodity front, the dollar's rebound has led to a plunge the entire sector. Oil has fallen below including $ 100 in New York, while silver lost 13% and 4% gold.

Values ​​to follow

Total

The oil company should react to the sharp drop in oil prices flexcheck cash advance.

Alcatel-Lucent

The telecommunications equipment has greatly reduced its losses in the first quarter to 10 million euros, against 515 million a year ago, and has recorded an increase of 15.2% of its turnover to $ 3.7 billion euros.

Carrefour

In an interview with Les Echos, the CEO, Lars Olofsson, made the revitalization of hypermarkets in France and its priority does not like the boss for France, whose departure was announced Thursday, is replaced by a French.

Eiffage

The group announced an increase of 13.2% of its backlog as of April 1, to 11.7 billion euros and confirmed its target of sales in 2011.

Icade, Veolia Environment

The group was selected by Veolia Environnement as exclusive partner for project implementation, the order of 100.000 square meters, designed to accommodate the consolidation of about 3000 to 4000 in Aubervilliers (Seine et Marne). Exclusive negotiations which are expected to undertake to reach a decision by early 2012, said the land in a statement.

Wendel

The group has announced organic growth of 9.9% of its sales in the first quarter to 1.44 billion euros, its holdings, including construction companies, which have benefited from economic recovery.

French cement publish today its first quarter results. Euler Hermes and Gascony will lift the veil on the turnover of the first quarter.

Sanofi-Aventis and CNP Assurances hold their general meeting.

28
Apr

France Telecom: management has been alerted

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"Suicide remains as THE SOLUTION." With these terms Remy, France Telecom employee who set himself on fire at the site of Mérignac Tuesday concluded a six-page letter, sent to the director of social relations and the HR group, Brigitte Dumont . This document, which has acquired the website Médiapart, quoted by Le Parisien and Aujourd'hui en France-, dated September 2009, when the company was plunged into controversy following the suicides of several employees.

At that time, Remy already denounced the "cowardly, poverty and lack of managerial responsibility" that prevailed at the highest level of the company.On a smaller scale, pressure from managers suffered by him and his colleagues is also highlighted with specific examples, as the site of Périgueux: "You and you you're welcome physical tomorrow morning, you will help these cons of trading, it will teach you to live, "would have launched one of the managers. "No control, no reaction," protested the employee.

"Those who are left are very poorly"

Citing a "terror management as well," Rémy, 57, talks about his own situation, he said, is the same for most workers over age 50 victims reorganizations. According to him, this category is often placed in positions that have nothing to do with his skills."Frames dispossessed of their power, they do nothing," he described, adding that "those who are abandoned and forced to cope with failure in everyday life are very bad."

At the time, Remy tries to change his position. It was not until a year after sending the email to be reassigned to a job more in keeping with his profile.

The last post

From Florence Baillard-Bordes, coordinator of the CFDT delegate quoted in Le Parisien, Remy was "hopeful" in the first days of taking office last fall. "But since the beginning of the year, he felt very disappointed. He told us that the measures announced were a smokescreen, "referring to the new social contract established by Stephane Richard, successor to Didier Lombard.

Also, last February, he sent another letter, by mail to the site director of Bordeaux Chateau d'Eau and uses the copy shop steward. As responsible for prevention, he mentioned the case of an outstanding colleague and again denounced "the methods that should have been abolished." He wanted to be convened to discuss in more detail but it was never answered. "Rémy was outstanding for several years and has not been heard," says Florence Baillard-Bordes. His family claims now follow "legal, political and social in this case," says Gilbert Hanna, union Solidarity 33.

For his part, Stéphane Richard promises to learn from the suicide of the employee: "I intend to do that this investigation is particularly thorough and transparent," says he.

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25
Mar

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Slowly, the Reformers made their place in the station. Certainly, the CGT union is the first with 37.3% of votes cast at the last workplace elections, but the organization suffered another setback. She had obtained 40% of the vote in 2009, during the recent workplace elections.

30% for the reformist pole

Reform said the pole winner in this election. The National Union of Autonomous Trade Unions (UNSA-Cheminots) harvest of votes and 21.4% (against 18.05% in 2009) and the French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT) 13.7% (against 11.59% in 2009). Together, the two unions represent 30% of voters, allowing them to sign agreements without the support of another organization.

10
Mar

Medef for mandatory paternity leave

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An enlargement of the rights of fathers is in the air. On the occasion of International Women's Day on 8 March, the MEDEF and the CFDT have both voted for a reform of paternity leave. Established in 2002, he currently entitled to 11 days leave for a child, 18 if the pregnancy is multiple, in addition to three days allowed for the birth. A daily allowance of maximum EUR 77.79 is paid to this title.

The president of the employers' organization, Laurence Parisot, proposed in the columns of "She" to make this mandatory paternity leave, and to lengthen. Same idea to the CFDT, where Monique Boutrand, national secretary of the executive branch, suggested extending the duration of paternity leave to two months.

"Mother Power"

In both cases, these proposals seek to change attitudes of employers about the women they employ.Because often, the discrimination they are subject to the labor market caused by their employer expectations of their potential pregnancies, absences and they are likely to generate. Agenda "of 5% to 10% of the time over the years to come," says Laurence Parisot.

However, if the number of absences due to increase paternity leave, "employers will consider fewer women as mothers power. All employees will become parents and power companies will be forced to reorganize itself accordingly, "said Francois Fatoux, Executive Director of the Observatory on Corporate Social Responsibility (ORSE)."As long as women bear only the risk potential of a long absence due to parenthood, regardless of their skills, it may not represent the profile of effective framework and invested in his work," adds Monica Boutrand.

Ghetto protector "

In fact, the introduction of paternity leave and extended mandatory would "clearly a breakthrough in the fight against discrimination against women," said Francois Fatoux, which criticizes the "ghetto protector" which they suffer on the market work business card templates.

Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand has shown a priori favor such a reform of paternity leave. "Why not? If it is a proposition of the social partners and contractors obviously, I am of course willing to discuss it, "he responded last Sunday in an interview in Paris.

Make paternity leave compulsory however it would be enough? According to the latest figures Drees, over two thirds of men are already taking 11 days off they enjoyed as such. "The binding and elongation are both intéresssants and must be involved. Why not imagine a month's paternity leave with statutory prohibition of work for 15 days? "Suggests Francis Fatoux.

Educate employees

Already, many large companies increasingly incorporate the issue of gender equity facing parenthood. "Today, the company contributes to equal professional working in the field of the family," says the latest report by the ORSE. Among the enterprise agreements examined by the Observatory, an increasing number of prescribed concrete actions to encourage the man to take over his role as father.Bayer Health or Hennessy, for example, have increased the number of days granted as parental leave. Danone Fresh product offers new fathers the opportunity to exchange their 13th month against 22 days extra leave. Arianespace offers the same value of paternity leave pay.

"Unfortunately, many men still believe that taking such leave and take their parenting to work may be penalized professionally. And the higher up the hierarchy, the more resistance is strong. A true campaign is needed to parallel changing attitudes. Like Norway, we still need to convey the idea that a man who does not leave his father is not a better employee, on the contrary. "

08
Mar

At Neuilly-sur-Seine, the reform of the ISF is cause

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24
Feb

Renault and Dacia are showroom apart

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Dacia emancipate gradually. The number of outlets autonomous low cost Renault brand increased gradually. "For now, we have 60 independent sites, which we call Dacia Box. Our ambition is to exceed 200 by 2013, "explains Thierry Plantegenest, director of the group's network in France in an interview with magazine autoactu.com.

Already underway, the increase in Dacia Box is a "good sign" for the brand, according to Gaetan Toulemonde, an analyst at Deutsche Bank. Low cost brand, reaching almost 5% market share in France, has gained notoriety and saw its sales climb 12% in 2010. The separation of outlets shows that "the brand started to become independent," says Gaetan Toulemonde.It is an element of strength for a brand that can overcome its parent. "

Distinct customer

By "providing a dedicated service," the Box Dacia mean that "the customer is considered to Dacia customers in their own right," said a spokesman for the group.

For Renault, it is mainly a way to separate more clearly its clientele from that of Dacia cars, which offer fewer benefits for a lower sales price of several thousand euros.

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21
Feb

The French nuclear industry met Monday at the Elysee

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It is not on any official agenda, but a meeting to organize the French nuclear industry will go ahead on Monday at the Elysee. The Minister of Industry, Eric Besson, has indeed confirmed this morning on France 2 reports in the press, announcing today that Nicolas Sarkozy would chair the Council of nuclear policy, which he founded in 2008. "The only thing I can tell you is (this meeting) concerns the organization of the French nuclear industry, what has been called France's nuclear team," said Eric Besson on France 2.

According to La Tribune, a preparatory meeting was already held last Friday, bringing together around one table Lauvergeon, CEO of Areva, Henri Proglio, head of EDF, Gerard Mestrallet, head of GDF Suez Patrick Kron, CEO of Alstom, and Eric Besson Dipuo Elizabeth Peters, Minister of Energy of South Africa.The President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma will indeed soon be visiting Paris to talk about nuclear. The challenge for France is to develop a coherent strategy to deal foreign clients especially not to not repeat the failure of Abu Dhabi in December 2009 when the French had lost a huge contract for nuclear centarles, at least 20 billion deal to Koreans.

The TTY in focus

On Monday, participants should discuss in particular the strategic partnership between EDF and Areva. The decision to bring the two French energy giants was taken at the last council of nuclear policy in late July 2010 bad credit unsecured personal loans.According to unidentified sources quoted by La Tribune, the two companies involved do not share the same vision of the progress of the project: Areva, it says that "the agreement is ready in its broad lines" then for EDF, "there are still points of disagreement."

According to Les Echos, the discussion should revolve around one central question: "whether the combination of EDF reactor project at medium power, TDD, developed by Areva and its partner Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Capacity reaches 1100 megawatts Atmea, against 1600 for the EPR.EDF could decide to take part in the cooperation on the TDD, or work on its own medium-power reactor with its Chinese partner CGNPC, or both at once.

Both companies should also discuss their mining strategy, including a possible investment from EDF in the mining division of Areva, whose valuation problem. As for GDF Suez, which wants to grow in importance in the French nuclear industry, the group should also focus on getting its game in the middle of negotiations.

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05
Jan

Mobile payments just to take off in France

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The mobile will he become an electronic wallet? Using your mobile phone as payment or to manage his bank accounts remotely, that is what the solutions or so-called "m-payment." This market, still young, is thriving. In 2010, the number of users of mobile payment solutions in the world is expected to exceed 108.6 million, against $ 70.2 million in 2009, according to Gartner. A jump of 54.5%. Purchases made via this system should, in turn, reach $ 200 billion (152.3 billion) by 2012 and 630 billion (479.8 billion euros) in 2014, says firm Juniper Research Study.

It must be said that the mobile phone has become an indispensable accessory of everyday life.In July 2010, the mobile has crossed the symbolic threshold of $ 5 billion customers worldwide, according to the Swedish group Ericsson, the world's mobile networks. Every day, the planet has 2 million subscribers added. France has, for its 62 million mobile subscribers, representing 94% of its population, according to consulting firm TnP Consultants. A context that should allow the mobile payments to take off. Yet, the use of mobile as purse is still not widely in France.

Market conditions exist

"The actors are present and technologies exist in France, as elsewhere in the European market," said Michael Emmanuel Brasier de Thuy, TnP Associate Consultants.Today, three solutions can make payments with a mobile phone: SMS premium, particularly used to purchase ringtones of mobile smart card NFC (Near Field Communication) technology which enables the exchange Remote data between a mobile phone and a terminal adapted and finally mobile applications, which are boosted by sales of smartphones, like Apple's iPhone. Dozens of pilot m-payment have been established in Europe, including 17 initiatives in France.

Mobile operators Bouygues Telecom, SFR, NRJ Mobile and Orange have particular experience gathered in Nice for the use of contactless payment using NFC technology. A technology that had already been tested for several years in urban transport or in some shops in Paris, Bordeaux, Marseille, Strasbourg, Caen, Rennes and Grenoble."These various tests were all satisfactory, from a technological perspective, but also the consumers, who have welcomed the use of the card and NFC wanted these projects continue," says Michael Emmanuel Brasier de Thuy.

Many players are positioning themselves

Mobile operators are not the only players to benefit from the emergence of m-payment market. Some are already positioned in this niche, such as handset manufacturers Nokia, Samsung, RIM, Apple or Google, or manufacturers such as Gemalto smart cards. Financial institutions are also present, particularly banks (BNP Paribas, Societe Generale and Barclays), providers of payment cards (Visa and MasterCard) and solution providers of payment (PayPal, Amazon, etc cash advance now.)..Finally, many retailers, including Starbucks, Carrefour, Franprix or SNCF, tested and deployed their own mobile payment solutions. "Every player wants to impose its model, which hinders the expansion of m-payment in Europe and the United States, however, regrets the TnP Associate Consultants.

In those countries where a large majority of the population holds a bank account, credit card remains a formidable competitor to the new payment solutions. "The mobile payment questions the balance in relations between the merchant, the customer and the bank. However, banks have already lost significant ground in front of the customer relationship since the arrival of the blue card. "For Ernst & Young, the m-payment market will take off if it is built on the basis of a partnership between stakeholders."Banks and telcos can each use their strengths and create better services for their clients," say analysts in a recent study.

The consumer appetite for Success

Such a collaborative approach was not enough in Japan, where banks and telecom operators had yet quickly embraced the concept of m-payment. Japanese traders have been heavily subsidized to equip themselves with terminals, but consumers were not at the rendezvous. Today, 420,000 outlets allow their customers to make purchases with their mobile phones in Japan. Gartner estimates that 1.8 only the number of transactions per customer and monthly payment terminal in 2010."Despite the large number of subscribers, with 80 million electronic portfolios in circulation, m-payment has complemented the existing means of payment, and failed to impose on users," said Michael Emmanuel Brasier de Thuy. The appetite of users for these new payment solutions still stumbles on security issues and fears of fraud, says Ernst & Young.

Concerns not shared by consumers in countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, where banking services are inaccessible. In Africa, where 90% of the population still rule their purchases in cash (or through barter), SMS payments are growing at high speed for three years. This is particularly true in Kenya.While the banking rate reached just over 10% in this country, 9 million of 14 million subscribers Safaricom operator using the services of m-payment (either an adoption rate of 64%), according TnP consultants. Other countries are very promising for the development of this market, like Mexico (with an adoption rate of 26%), Vietnam (22%), Brazil (15%) and Romania (28%). China is no exception. In 2013, it will be the world's largest market for mobile transaction services, "said BNP Paribas, citing predictions from Celent. According to the firm, 410 million Chinese use the m-payment on that date.

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