International & World Report

The French do not really feel the first effects of the recovery. Nearly 43% of them believe the situation will not improve in the short term, against 53% more optimistic, according to an Ipsos Direct Insurance. The 18-34 years are more positive, being 60% believe in a short-term improvement of the economy.

In contrast, the 35-59 years are 49% to fear for the future economic situation. Pessimism contrasts with predictions of positive growth, the government is relying on such an increase of 1.4% of GDP in 2010. It seems that the fear of unemployment prevails in this population group. They are right: the unemployment rate, currently at 9.1% should exceed 10% according to the OECD.

A large majority (69%) French also fear a rise in prices. Again, they are too pessimistic.Economists Natixis, inflation should not exceed 1.2% in 2010, a fairly low level. INSEE table involved a decline in inflation "underlying", that is to say outside energy prices, to 0.9% in July 2010 against 1.8% in October 2009 .

Eight out of ten people expect further increases in oil prices free credit scores . Again, the French would they be worried too? INSEE expects a stable price per barrel to around $ 80 by mid-2010. But the National Institute of Statistics warns that still considerable uncertainty surrounding its estimates, the market of black gold is very volatile.

According to the Ipsos survey, these pessimistic expectations should lead the French champions of saving, save more. Nearly 65% of respondents believe that the crisis will encourage them to save even more.On this point, they agree with the experts. The INSEE estimates that savings will remain at a high level (16.6%) in the first half of 2010, having broken records in 2009.

Latest cares, but not least, the French: the future of pensions. They are 90% believed that "concern about changes in the level of pensions in the years to come is a sense justified. Negotiations on the future of the pension system, initiated by the government this year, will soon fix the issue.

Haro on stress associated with transport. In a study whose findings were published Monday in Le Parisien, Technologia firm specializing in the prevention of occupational risks, points to the adverse effects of increasingly frequent suffered by employees Ile. Saturated lines (lines 1, 3, 6, 7 and 13 are officially), frequent delays (more than 20,000 delays on the single line of busy RERA, in a year), and companies increasingly prompt to relocate their offices in the suburbs for reasons of economy: this is at least enough to increase stress levels of employees affected by these transport commuters daily.15 to 20% of 8 million passengers who travel each day on the Paris network would be affected, according to Jean-Claude Delgenes, CEO of Technologia.

"A triple penalty"

The study, conducted from discussions with employees and more than 150 HR managers, staff representatives or the Committee of Hygiene and Health at Work, underscores the impact of such inconvenience Health employees, and quality of life in the business. "SMEs are the structures whose operation suffers most from these repeated delays, due to their low numbers," says Jean-Claude Delgenes. Employee side, in addition to fatigue, stress and loss of family life brought about by the slowness of some transport is sometimes the career advancement that is hampered by these delays are difficult to predict."For those employees who bear several hours a day on trains or buses arrive tired at work and see their careers blocked, it's triple trouble," says Jean-Claude Delgenes.

Proposals to stimulate discussion

A finding against which the employees interviewed appeared resigned. The firm Technologia, which makes ten proposals (favored by the carpool, or the establishment of an efficient information bound travelers), wants to mobilize otherwise elected on this issue due to the regional elections. A yard more, while companies with more than 1,000 employees will be considered next week by the government, according to their degree of commitment against the psycho-social risks.

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After the large deposits, Emmaus starts now in the "bric-a-brac neighborhood. Based in Paris at Centquatre (the center of artistic creation of 104 rue d'Aubervilliers, XIX), the first such shop opened this week. Nine others should follow in the coming three years after an agreement signed between Emmaus and the City of Paris. In these knick-knacks, buyers will always find so many clothes, furniture or dishes at any price, but small retail space will be reduced (200 to 300 m2) and * opening hours extended to better integrate neighborhood life.

So far, the association only had a Paris address, located at 80 boulevard Jourdan (XIV). For two years, more than 3,000 people flock every Saturday on the 1,000 m2 warehouse for a few hours to exhaust the stock of products recovered during the week.A success that led Emmaus to look for other sites.

It must be said that environmental awareness has boosted donations of used goods while the economic crisis has increased the number of customers looking for bargains. Across the country, 85,000 tonnes of textiles, 65,000 tonnes of furniture and 20,000 tonnes of electrical equipment have been collected by Emmaus in 2008. The resale of these products used generated 148 million euros in 2008 against 142 million in 2007. The 2009 figures should be even better.

Originality of the Parisian experience: the addresses are managed by the association Emmaus Challenge, an offshoot of Emmaus, which uses reintegration of employees and not members of the community."Large urban area offer plenty of room in emergency accommodation, but not many opportunities for employment," says Charles-Edouard Vincent, president of Emmaus Challenge. With its bric-a-brac, it currently employs 80 employees in rehabilitation and aims eventually to bar 300. An experience that is limited for now to the capital which has the largest deposits of products to be collected, and the broader population in need.

Rest now, with the assistance of the City of Paris, to find the space available to open additional stores. And also to find an alternative store to the flagship Boulevard Jourdan. This temporary space is indeed close its doors by the end of September.

* Bric-a-brac Centquatre, 104, rue d'Aubervilliers (XIX). Open Wednesday to Saturday from 15h to 18h. Receiving gifts: Tuesdays from 15h to 18h and 11h to 18h Wednesday through Saturday.Ref.: Www.emmausdefi.org or www.104.fr, under "Shops".