Archive for the ‘opinions’ Category

Towards a tax on financial transactions

Posted in features, opinions, resources, technology, world by admin on June 30th, 2011 | Comments Off

A further step for the tax on financial transactions tax known as "Tobin". The European Commission will propose its creation as part of its next Buget for the period 2014-2020. She hopes to raise up to 50 billion euros per year, according to European sources cited by Reuters.

Another major proposal for the new budget: funding for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) would be frozen at their current level of 370 billion euros, the sources said.Taking into account inflation and the general evolution of European finance, this means that the share of the CAP in the budget of the European Union (EU) will naturally decrease.

Taken up by several Member States since the crisis, including Nicolas Sarkozy, the idea of ​​tax on financial transactions developed by the Nobel Prize in economics James Tobin is considered a credible solution to help poor countries fight against global climatique.Son rate should be moderate, at 0.05%.

Associations, however, immediately responded to the proposal from the European Commission. More and AIDS Coalition and accusing the EU executive to "divert [the tax on financial transactions] to his own benefit."The tax "is supposed to serve the South, where the financial crisis has already resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, and still threatens the lives of millions more, including many AIDS patients," said Bruno Spire , President and director of AIDS Coalition PLUS, in a statement. "And now Europe is proposing that the money goes any poor countries, but in his own pocket? It is a scandal. "

The austerity budget of Italy to be approved Thursday also include a 0 overnight pay day loans.15% tax on financial transactions.

"The EU as a first step"

Ten days ago, the Commission President José Manuel Barroso had already discussed the proposed tax on financial transactions in a letter to EU leaders. "The Commission completes its impact and present a formal legislative proposal after the summer," wrote José Manuel Barroso.

"Our analysis shows that there is a strong case to decide whether a tax in the financial sector in the EU as a first step," he said, assuring that the Commission will "in parallel, continue to work for a global agreement on a tax on financial transactions. "

Supported by the Franco-German Cup, the tax "Tobin" has been a joint proposal of the French Socialist Party and the German SPD in their respective parliaments.The resolution was adopted in mid-June by the French deputies but less successful in the Bundestag, where she was referred to committee.

According to the French deputies, the EU legislative proposal should include "a tax on all financial transactions of 0.05%", including all stock exchange transactions and non-stock, securities, bonds and derivatives, as well as all transactions in the foreign exchange market to the tax base and revenue allocation to each of the national budget. "

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Greece: the solution proposed by Paris

Posted in economy, money, online, opinions, resources by admin on June 26th, 2011 | Comments Off

While the crucial talks between government and private creditors of Greece continued the last few hours across Europe, they rose sharply in Paris. Reportedly, the French Treasury and financial institutions have agreed on the night of Friday to Saturday on a proposal that they hope to win their European partners now. Important first step, a highly anticipated meeting of the IIR (International Institute of Finance), which groups 400 banks worldwide, will be held on Monday in Rome.

It will be remembered, European governments have launched negotiations Wednesday with the holders of Greek debt. They are seeking a contribution of banks, insurers and other pension funds to the tune of 30 billion euros, backed by a new extension of Europe and the IMF to Greece.So far, the proposal on the table was simple: the voluntary, private creditors agreed to reinvest in due proportion the debts repaid by Athens over the next three years in new loans Greek to 5 years. It is the "rollover". However, private capital, especially German, had requested that these new loans are guaranteed in one way or another by Europe. But Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, refused this demand, which is to transfer the responsibility of the public an additional part of the burden.

Hence the impasse. The problem for private financiers, is to pay a state that nothing says it will be out of trouble in five years, the plan has expired. Of course, under pressure from governments, banks and insurers could be convinced.But specifically, if the process is not perceived as voluntary, rating agencies may raise the flag of the "default" and the plan falls overboard because the ECB can no longer accept sovereign debt and stigmatized in the refinancing of Greek banks cash advance no fax.The French proposal is a parade, making the "rollover" both more attractive and relevant to them and to Athens, by lengthening maturities.

New loans to 30 years

In addition to the original proposal, a working group led by BNP Paribas, in fact, imagined an alternative, opening the opportunity to reinvest only 70% of amounts received in connection with the Greek borrowing fell 50% are allocated to Greek new loans issued this time in 30 years as to 20%, they are placed on what the financial call a "zero coupon", ie a fund invested in securities of high quality self-reinforcing through then cumulation of interests: the piggy bank somehow secures new borrowing Greek, as would have government guarantees.According to the discussions, these borrowings could be long carry an interest rate equivalent to that of Greece pays vis-à-vis its "rescuers" public, with the addition of a variable interest rate likely to be linked to an economic indicator Greek, such as GDP.

In any case, this alternative would yield less per creditor only 50% returned to the Treasury Greek but is likely to attract more people. And above all, by providing funding for 30 years, she pushes the horizon in part refunds for Athens. The French solution began circulating in the corridors of the European Council on Friday. "We received an initial favorable response," says a close case.

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Ali Baddou present the new edition

Posted in opinions, people, resources, special, top news by admin on June 25th, 2011 | Comments Off

Saturday, Ali will start at 19:10 Baddou the start of his show The Big Mag, scheduled on Saturday in the clear on Canal +, until August 27. Four years after arriving on the pay channel, the journalist is thus for the first time give his own TV show. "The Great Mag is 52 minutes, mainly of reports around the world, and who give themselves the ambition to tell the world in which we live. There are also meetings with personalities that have marked the year just ended, "said Ali Baddou. For the first issue, The Great Mag return among other Ali Agca, the man who tried to kill Pope John Paul II in 1981, and the phenomenon of the gilded youth of Shanghai imitating the codes of the heroes of the film Fast and Furious. Before proposing a meeting with Nicolas Anelka."For the first time he speaks for this great moment in South Africa in the locker room with Raymond Domenech," said the journalist to seeing you on June 25 to determine the version of football.

Beyond this project, the journalist will use the summer to prepare for his return at the helm of the special edition, on which it will replace Bruce Toussaint, recruited to lead the morning of Europe 1. Renamed New Edition, "the show will change deep enough, details columnist Grand Journal de Michel Denisot. We will keep the anchor in the news, but telling it through those who live it. The show will host a lot of guests and witnesses who will say, on various subjects and varied, how they perceive the news. " Is for this revised version, a format more focused on the testimony and culture. The cast of writers, however, should not change."Ariel Wizman, Daphne Burki, Anne-Elisabeth Lemoine, Nicolas Domenach be faithful to the position low interest rate personal loans."

Hearing no targets

So we said leaving for France 2, the host denies "rumors" and talks about his choice to accept the slice of mid-day on Canal + in 2008 after refusing the morning of the chain, already replacing Bruce Toussaint. "I already went out three years of morning radio, so I did not even discuss the project. There, it's very different, it's a great challenge, especially a presidential year where there is all to do. " Last year, the issue of Bruce Toussaint realized an average 4.4% audience share, or about 590,000 faithful daily. A difficult challenge? "Right now, we talk primarily of the content," says Ali Baddou, denies having received, at the moment, the objectives of hearing from Canal +.

In addition to these two programs by signing the rise of the chain, the journalist will continue to be the joker of Michel Denisot the presentation of the Grand Journal, although it will cease its daily columns on the flagship show of Canal +. He imagines in designated successor? "It really is not there. I replace it, it looks as I do … It's normal, it has nothing to do with the future. " Meanwhile, the man who started his career as a journalist at France Culture (he hosted the morning of the station from 2006 to 2009 and the weekly Le Rendezvous policies) gives clear priority to its television operations. "I pause my radio activities next year," said Ali Baddou at First Attempts to raise the weekly meeting that he still animated at France Culture.

Airbus' new order record

Posted in economic, international, money, opinions, top news by admin on June 23rd, 2011 | Comments Off

At Paris Air Show, Airbus steals record after record. While the European aircraft manufacturer has been a landmark order yesterday from the Indian carrier IndiGo, involving 180 Airbus A320 150 A320neo, a subsidiary of EADS did even better on Thursday. During the fourth day of the Paris Air Show, the manufacturer confirms the largest order in the history of civil aviation in the number of devices with 200 Neo A320 from Air Asia. The boss of AirAsia said Thursday that the day would be a "great day" for the company. AirAsia, based in Malaysia and largest low cost airline in Asia, with this command becomes the largest customer of Airbus.

In addition, American Airlines is about to acquire from Airbus over 100 single-aisle A320 series, according to Bloomberg. The price of the order could amount to about $ 8.5 billion at list prices.These devices replace less efficient airplanes like the Boeing 757 and MD-80. This command would be a setback for Boeing since the company is usually the client U.S. aircraft manufacturer, Airbus' main competitor.

After its intention to buy A320neo, the airline GoAir Indian low cost has signed a firm order this morning for 72 medium-haul of its kind.

Since the beginning of the show, the success of the A320neo is undeniable: it should pass the milestone of 1000, just seven months after its commercial launch. Subsidiary of EADS has already exceeded its targets since was 500 A320 orders by the end of Bourget.

Other models also reap Airbus orders this Thursday

The A380 also encounter expressions of interest. Skymark Airlines has confirmed Thursday morning ordering two A380s.The amount of this additional order would reach at list price, $ 750 million.

In addition, Airbus hopes to get "a significant portion" of the large order that would formalize Air France-KLM this summer, said Thursday Fabrice Brégier, Chief Operating Officer of the European aircraft manufacturer. The French company could opt for the A350 model. "We believe that the A350 has advantages over the Boeing 787. For us to make to Air France-KLM, "commented the manager.

For now, the official death toll is over 700 orders and options, including 347 firm orders for Airbus in three days. The total amount of these orders, at list prices, at more than $ 65 billion.Boeing is so far below as the U.S. garnered 126 orders and options, including 61 farms, pour19 billion.

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Madrid: important parade against crisis

Posted in economic, life, money, opinions, top news by admin on June 19th, 2011 | Comments Off

"This crisis does not pay." One month after the birth of the movement of the "outraged" that has spread throughout the country, between 35,000 and 40,000 people, according to police, marched in Madrid against austerity. The crowd came in processions from all six districts of Madrid, gathered near the parliament in the center, opposite a row of blue gates and a dozen police vans blocking the road.

"Against unemployment. Organize yourself and fight. Let us march together against unemployment and capital, "proclaimed one of the great signs. "We are not commodities in the hands of politicians and bankers," said another banner in red letters.Under the slogans, demonstrators of all ages, families with strollers, young, unemployed and retired, came to testify of the same tired response to the crisis that is strangling the Spanish company.

Unemployment and corruption

Protesters targeted the Stability Pact in the euro area and its imperatives of fiscal discipline, politicians accused of corruption and not the voice of citizens, unemployment hitting 21.29% of the workforce in Spain, almost half the age of 25.

"We must prepare for a general strike 100% free credit score. We will paralyze this country, "said a speaker at the microphone."Banks and governments that have caused this situation should be aware that we do not agree with the measures and budget cuts, we intend to be heard, and that we will," assured the flat platform calling for demonstrations across Spain.

Broad popular support

Tuesday, June 13, the "outrage" had dismantled their camp from the Puerta del Sol in Madrid, a symbol of this wave of protest. Enjoying broad popular support, they now want to consolidate their movement through the neighborhood assemblies and other occasional events.

Other demonstrations were planned in the late afternoon on Sunday, including Barcelona and Valencia, and in several foreign cities, including Paris, where nearly 450 "outraged" gathered.

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"Joffrin and Collin have not reformed Libération"

Posted in economy, features, opinions, people, top news by admin on June 11th, 2011 | Comments Off

And two. Having poached in March, Laurent Joffrin of the co-chairmanship of Liberation to entrust the reins of Le Nouvel Observateur and the chief editor of news magazine, Perdriel Claude, the owner of the newspaper group, has hired Wednesday Nathalie Collin Co-Chair of the daily street ranger. Aged 46 years, the former boss of EMI France, who had joined Liberation in 2009, will assume his new duties in early August. Alongside Laurent Joffrin as co-chair of the board of the Nouvel Observateur, it will specifically support "strategy, development, partnerships and management." It will also be responsible for DG Debt Management Group, which also publishes Challenges and Sciences et Avenir. These two transfers decapitate the leadership of Liberation, in a situation remains fragile – the newspaper that has reached 200,000 euros profit in 2010.After considering an exchange of equity and industrial and commercial synergies with Le Nouvel Observateur, the newspaper is engaged since March in a plan to recapitalize nine million euros made by the group Colbert Land, of which 6 have already been paid. Edouard de Rothschild, chairman of the supervisory board and shareholder at 26% Payment at par with Colbert Land, must quickly find a successor to Nathalie Collin. In the entourage of the French businessman, is no secret that the revival of Libération is far from over. "There are still chapels, personal conflicts, with a very old organization. The newspaper still has room for improvement and optimization, "says one.

LE FIGARO. After Laurent Joffrin-Claude Perdriel, boss Le Nouvel Observateur, has poached the co-chair of Liberation, Nathalie Collin. Do you feel betrayed?

Edouard de Rothschild.The torque-Laurent Joffrin-Nathalie Collin has improved the content and quality of Liberation, but as a fellow shareholder and chairman of the supervisory board of the newspaper, I am a reproach to have left to buy social peace without reforming the business . This is an opportunity for liberation can modernize and reform the house, whether its organization, operation, management.

A few months ago, you were considering a merger with Le Nouvel Obs …

As a shareholder, I'm not political and I observe from a distance, but I find that a squabble between Le Nouvel Observateur and Liberation is sterile, unproductive, when primaries will play within the Socialist Party and where major substantive discussions will be held on the left.

Your strategy for liberation Will it change?

Le Nouvel Observateur is an aging institution.Today, a generation of readers is renewed. It is within this context that Nicolas Demorand joined Liberation as "publisher". A new "publisher" should be appointed shortly. We have some interesting candidates to succeed Nathan Collin. We will choose three to Bruno Ledoux, group Colbert Land, the daughter of Italian shareholder Carlo Caracciolo, and myself.

The noose is tightening around the sale of illegal timber

Posted in Uncategorized, economy, opinions, people, technology by admin on June 6th, 2011 | Comments Off

The very demanding certification labels for timber such as the FSC would they about to be marginalized by European legislation is less restrictive? Some pose the question today. Ardent proponents of the regulation adopted by the EU is no shortage of arguments to suggest otherwise.

FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) was established in 1993 after the Earth Summit in Rio. It offers large forest operators to comply with a specification very strict on environmental issues, social and economic return for obtaining a quality label could make a difference on the European market. It now comprises some fifteen million ha in tropical forests, including five for the Congo Basin and almost three for the Republic of Congo alone."But today, Europe is imposing a traceability system which is only legal and therefore much less stringent than the certification systems," warns Dr. Clotilde Ngomba, the coordinator of the forest fund Basin Congo.

Launched in 2003, the European program that meets the acronym FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade process) "aims to curb the production and trade in illegal timber," says Alain Pénelon, regional adviser for COMIFAC (Commission Central African forests). With a goal involve the largest number of forest holdings. "We had reason to push the FSC large farms," ​​says Mark Benedict, director of the firm Terea, "but it is very restrictive and very expensive and small businesses can not follow him installment payday loans. FLEGT system is intended for them. "The World Bank, the loss of value due to illegal logging accounts for more than 10 billion dollars and the loss of revenue for governments, 5 billion.

Legality encouraged

The main measure of FLEGT aims at establishing a partnership between Europe and a producer. It specifies the criteria to ensure that timber imported into Europe is of legal origin. It provides traceability, verification systems … "The implementation of a FLEGT agreement may take three or four years," said Alain Pénelon. Such a delay until October, Parliament ratified a new law prohibiting the arrival on European soil or wood products from illegal logging. "This will be the operators in Europe to ensure this," said the specialist.This regulation will apply March 3, 2013.

"I do not think there is a risk of competition between the two systems," he says. "The same mechanisms are highly complementary," insists Emmanuel Heuse support of FLEGT Democratic Republic of Congo. "These two systems must grow together," he adds. Optimists hope that the first step then bring FLEGT timber operations to proceed towards certification. Over the legality will be encouraged, more forest will be protected. It is urgent: despite improvements since 2000, tropical deforestation is very high. It is 5.4 million ha per year, equivalent to the area of ​​Costa Rica.

Cucumber crisis: 4.8 million loss in France

Posted in life, online, opinions, people, top news by admin on June 3rd, 2011 | Comments Off

The damage is done. Although the cucumber is more pronounced as carrier of the bacterium E. Slayer coli (EHEC), the bill is very heavy for the French vegetable growers. Consumers stay still images as well as tomato salad and a time alleged by Germany.

"Nothing in a week, we estimate our losses to 3 million euros," said Friday afternoon at Figaro Angelique Delahaye, president of Vegetables in France. She just finished consolidating losses estimated at national level by some 3,000 growers of cucumbers and tomatoes. "We're going to report these figures in the service of the Ministry of Agriculture in the context of the experts meeting in Brussels next Tuesday," she says.

Half of the losses on the production of cucumbers and half the tomatoes."We lost earlier this week a program to supply 500 600 tons of tomatoes to 1.10 euro per kilo from the German central purchasing or 550,000 to 660,000 euros less," says Pierre Diot, president of the AOP (Association producer organization) cucumbers and tomatoes, producer Mordelles, west of Rennes.

Brittany produces half of the tomatoes of the Hexagon, 30% from the Deep South and the rest of the Nantes region. "After a week of total absence of trade in vegetables, we are angry because we have no alternative but to destroy our production," said Louis Vinet representing growers Nantes, tripling affected free business cards.

Salads down 20%

However, it is too early to assess damage on sales of salad, vegetable of which the French are especially fond of this heat – they consume nearly 7 pounds per year -."The production is spread among a multitude of gardening and it is more difficult to gather the numbers," says Angelique Delahaye.

The only certainty in Rungis, Ile de France, the second producing region of the Hexagon salads, "salads sold volumes dropped 20% in a dynamic market, however, except of course the cucumbers fall of 80%," says Michel Lemelin, president of the union of wholesale fruit and vegetable market of Rungis.

In this difficult context, French producers can always relativize their misfortune by saying that the situation is worse elsewhere. Particularly in the Iberian Peninsula. The Spanish Federation of Producers exporting fruits and vegetables (FEPEX) estimated losses on Tuesday "to about 200 million euros per week" for the entire sector, citing a "domino effect" affecting other Spanish products."All fruits and vegetables were impacted by Spain. Fortunately in France strawberries, zucchini, eggplant and continue to sell, "relativize Angelique Delahaye.

To break this cycle, the European Ministers of Agriculture are scheduled to meet around 17 June in Luxembourg for a special meeting on the subject.

Christine Lagarde "takes the field" to head the IMF

Posted in business, economy, features, news, opinions by admin on May 30th, 2011 | Comments Off

"I walk in the countryside." Thus, Christine Lagarde, finance minister and declared candidate for the post of Director of the IMF, began his speech on Europe 1 radio on Sunday. Its stated goal: to convince all the emerging countries of the legitimacy of his candidacy. "These countries are worried. They want recognition and they feel frustration. They want a manager with universal and that is why I will introduce myself, "she said.

The minister will travel first to Brazil "because it is the first country invited me," she says. She will then visit the 'all emerging countries, notably China, India, some countries in Africa and the Middle East. Which will require it in his words to "make a lot of extra hour" because this campaign is done in conjunction with its agenda of Minister of Finance.While emphasizing the concept of universality, Christine Lagarde says she remains "deeply French and European. But in the context of these functions, you must be accountable to all of these 187 member countries. "

No fears for the record Tapie

Even if she repeats that "we should not count your chickens before they're hatched," the minister made a speech very assured, aware of the many clear support of the Europeans and Americans implied. "If I am elected, she says, I will leave the government because the two functions are incompatible." Asked about the name of his successor, the Minister nevertheless kicked into touch: "It's not for me to decide, but we have in our ranks many talents."

Christine Lagarde has also lingered long on the back Tapie, only shadow seemed to hover over his candidacy. "The file is empty," she repeated.She said the referral to the Court of Justice of the Republic by the Attorney General at the Court of Cassation, Jean-Louis Nadal, "is factually false and legally unfounded." "I chose the solution of arbitration in the case because I believed that Tapie was the least bad. A conviction was run a risk of 7 billion euros to the state. " For the future, the finance minister said to "really good confidence in the judiciary" and says she has "conscience".

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Stock market crash in commodities

Posted in international, money, online, opinions, people by admin on May 7th, 2011 | Comments Off

A year almost to the day of the "flash crash" where the Dow Jones had lost hundreds of points in a record time, commodity prices seem to have met a similar fate Thursday. A replay of the dollar precipitated a plunge in oil prices and a correction of all raw materials, the most since the 2008 financial crisis.

Originally, the speech of Jean-Claude Trichet, ECB president, who hinted that he will not pursue its policy of raising rates in June, combined with the publication of poor macroeconomic indicators overseas have triggered a large rise in the dollar against the euro at 1.4539 on Friday morning near 1.4820 against the dollar Thursday morning. In response, a barrel of oil dropped $ 10, or 8% over a single day since the first Gulf War in 1991.All commodity prices followed: the money has dropped by nearly 13% a decrease of about 30% in four sessions, gold has lost nearly 4%, corn, wheat and soybeans fell 2% to 3%. Thus, the benchmark commodity, the Jefferies Commodities, fell nearly 5%, its heaviest one epu correction since more than two years and one of the largest in its history.

And movement of massive sales were amplified by technical factors: the "leverage" the purchase of securities on credit, which generate an increased movement of buying and selling and crossing thresholds that cause technical auto sales. All of these elements has resulted in "panic selling" ("panic selling") on the part of operators too exposed.

Some dealers predicted yesterday: "No more for raw materials, must sell."In their eyes, we witnessed yesterday at the bursting of the bubble that forms over the past two years on raw materials. George Soros, known for its anticipation of market movements, sold its gold and silver earlier in the week after referring to a bubble in commodities. Investors have not hesitated to describe the meeting as "one for the books", ie a session that will mark history. However, Addison Armstrong, analyst at Tradition Energy, said that "the correction was too severe." This morning, oil prices that reflect and repass over the 100 dollars seems to prove him right.

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