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Against finance, but not against the big bosses. The Socialist candidate for president, Francois Hollande, has reassured business leaders of the CAC 40, in an interview in Paris Matchpubliée Thursday. He was lampooned in mid-February, their salary increases "of 36% on average in 2010."

As we approach the elections, it has softened its tone. "We will need all the forces for the country's recovery. Therefore, in the aftermath of the presidential election, I will convene the CAC 40 companies, although many of their leaders will not vote for me, he says. I tell them: "You are the spearhead of the French economy. We need you and you need the state. We face together the challenge of recovery of France "."

The Socialist candidate was told by the president of MEDEF, Laurence Parisot, France 2 on Thursday, that the vocation of the employers' association was "to work with any government whatever." Tenors Socialist Party had in fact accused of campaigning for the incumbent president Nicolas Sarkozy Low fee payday loans.

Francois Hollande tried several times to reassure the campaign finance and management. Visiting London, and then he gave himself to enemy "the world of finance," he said at the City he was not "aggressive" and that n ' there was "nothing to fear" if elected.

Still, the Socialist candidate wants to increase the effective tax rate of 35% in large groups and, among other things, against the practice of stock options. "France seems to bring out the multinationals," said Denis Kessler, CEO of Scor, quoted by The Economist. For the second consecutive week, the weekly British Liberal lampooned the socialist project to tax at 75% marginal bracket the higher incomes of over one million euros.

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The giant Danish DFDS and the French Louis Dreyfus (LDA), owner of LD Lines, have finally announced the birth of their joint venture that will operate five ferry routes between France and England (Dover-Dunkerque Dover- Calais, Portsmouth to Le Havre, Dieppe, New Haven) and between France and Tunisia (Tunis-Marseille). LD Lines line between Saint-Nazaire and Gijon, Spain will not belong to the joint venture.

Last year, the two partners were involved in a bid to take over Sea France, the SNCF subsidiary whose termination of service was delivered in January. But the offer was violently rejected by the unions.

1160 employees in 2013

Since LD Lines, in partnership with the Danish DFDS, has two ships on the Dover-Calais line, previously operated by Sea France no teletrack payday loan. This is a new step, predictable, but that was difficult or impossible to implement at the time of the attempted rescue of Sea France.

The joint venture will be owned by DFDS 82% and 18% by LDA. Officially launched on July 1, she will manage nine ships. DFDS those under the British flag and those of LD Lines under the French flag. "It is not intended eventually to operate under a single flag, says Christophe Santoni, the CEO of LD Lines. For reasons of social or commercial, we retain the two pavilions. "In 2013, the ferry company expects to achieve a turnover of 276 million euros. It will employ 1160 people in total.

After winning the Vietnam Gabon, Orangina part in the conquest of his adopted country. The famous drink in the pulp will be launched Tuesday with great fanfare in Japan, Suntory's home country, flying Orangina Schweppes since 2009. His arrival had been delayed because of the tsunami. "It will be the launch of the year for Suntory, who wishes to take a leading portfolio of brands in Japan," says Jean-Jacques Fredj, director general of international brands to Orangina.

The famous bottle had to undergo a facelift. Its silhouette has become more slender. Least to stick to local standards of beauty that to be linear in the size of the 40,000 supermarkets in the country. Dressed in blue and yellow, it will be sold in plastic bottles of 420 ml. We also find in the small can (280 ml) in a vending machine on eight, where the Japanese are buying prepared foods, cigarettes or lattes.

If the recipe has been adapted to industrial requirements (ingredients, temperature …) and Japanese regulatory, his taste remained nearly identical. It should surprise the consumer, more used to citrus drinks without pulp.

"French touch"

As the Japanese tend to be wary of imported products, Orangina Schweppes recall on the packaging that the drink is made and bottled on site, from a concentrate from Europe free 3-in-1 credit report.

In this country Francophile, Suntory bets on the French touch – tricolor on the bottle to support – to attract young adults, fond of novelties. Orangina has emerged including posters from the 1950s Villemot, where we find the famous umbrellas orange zest.

Suntory, who made 17 billion euros in turnover in 2011, has no room for error. On this huge market of 35 billion euros, the group, number 2 local, knows that the first two months are critical. "This is a very demanding market where rotations dictate the future of a product, especially in convenience stores, said Jean-Jacques Fredj. Sold 15% more expensive than other sodas (1.30 euro per bottle), Orangina will make its way alongside the brands Coca-Cola.

With this launch, Suntory would also demonstrate the successful integration of Orangina Schweppes. Luis Bach, his boss, just joined the board of the Japanese group. A first for a non-Japanese. After Orangina in Japan, Suntory could also continue to introduce on the Old Continent other Japanese brands as its V energy drink, already available in Spain.

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The Kerviel affair did not end annoying Societe Generale. While the appeal of Jerome Kerviel should be held next June, a new legal developments oppose the bank Tuesday to four of its employees. These employed a center of Marseille succession management demanding 15,000 euros in damages to their employer, Societe Generale, for the moral prejudice they suffered as a result of the Kerviel affair.

Since the discovery record losses in 2008 – 4.9 billion euros – earned by the former trader, these employees claim to be the subject of "jokes" from their customers, some having been until the deal with "thieves," said their lawyer, Richard Daniel. "These taunts lasted for months, at least until the first trial of Jerome Kerviel in 2010," he says. The employees would like to see these inconveniences recognized by the justice and compensation. A hearing is scheduled next Tuesday in the morning before the 6th Civil Chamber of the Tribunal de Grande Instance of Nanterre.

SocGen cleared

In the first trial of Jerome Kerviel in October 2010, two employees were already in civil proceedings. Also represented by Daniel Richard, they had managed to gain recognition by the judge moral prejudice "against the deleterious working conditions" resulting from the incident, and "threats" that it "poses to their career prospects. " At the time, the former trader was sentenced to compensate up to 2,500 euros each, plus 4.9 billion euros due to Societe Generale.

Mr. Daniel Richard had immediately called the bank to take the money for its support. "The bank must answer for his own faults: he was convicted July 4, 2008 by the Banking Commission for the serious flaws in its internal control system. Societe Generale would do well by doing this spontaneously compensation ", potentially involving every employee in contact with customers, he argued in October 2010. For the bank, completely cleared at trial of the scandal Kerviel, such a decision would create a precedent difficult to manage.

At the trial of Jerome Kerviel, the lawyer had failed to take the responsibility of the bank financial loss suffered by the employee shareholders of the group, linked to the loss of their holdings on the merits corporate savings. In 2008, SocGen's share price has lost more than 60%. "That damage can not be interpreted as a direct consequence of the facts," the judge had ruled.  

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Twitter users who have an American Express card will be able to save money on their purchases. The financial services provider has developed a range of coupons to be distributed by the microblogging platform in the United States.

To qualify, users must involve affected their American Express card to their Twitter account, a dedicated website. They can then post a message on Twitter ("tweets") with a keyword identification ("hashtag") to receive a gift certificate for their card, which will be used in several merchant partners. For example, writing "I will redo my wardrobe # AmexHM" on Twitter, the user gets a $ 10 discount on their next purchase over $ 50 at H & M. The brand's ready-to-wear, and Dell, Virgin America, Zappos, FedEx and McDonald's are among the partners in this new advertising offer.

An offer for mobile

"American Express converts the content of Twitter in business offer, by linking the card holders with traders, offering added value to both parties", welcomed Ed Gilligan, vice president of American Express in a statement. Above all, American Express is attempting to upgrade the "tweets" for advertising purposes, which are more and more on Twitter. The microblogging platform was cautiously introduced advertising on its service in April 2010, with "Promoted tweets", inspired by the sponsored links on search engines. Many brands – especially American – have therefore tried to use the service that boasts over 100 million monthly active users.

Last week, the start-up went into high gear, announcing the launch of a commercial for its mobile applications. "It's been almost two years since we launched the sponsored tweets, the first of our advertising products. Meanwhile, Internet users around the world have increasingly accessed Twitter from a mobile terminal, "the company said in a note to blog. Broadcast on the mobile site, tweets and accounts Sponsored advertising will now also distributed in mobile applications for Android and iPhone Twitter. "This will allow people to see the tweets of major brands that matter to them," says Twitter.

An announcement that coincided with the launch of Facebook, a mobile advertising offering for the service and coupons

.

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For Pierre Chappaz, running a business is like managing a football team. "The coach sets the overall strategy, recruiting players, helping them to play as a team, while respecting their strong personalities," says the entrepreneur known for having co-founded Kelkoo. This is why Wikio, the company he founded in 2006 and renamed Ebuzzing meanwhile, made nine mergers and acquisitions since its inception.

Combines the latest in Ebuzzing BeeAd, the advertising agency specializing in online video, created by the founders of the music download site Beezik. When he met them, Pierre Chappaz was "immediately said, if these players could join our team, we would be able to win the European Cup," he writes on his blog.

Ebuzzing now specializes in communication on social networks – an analysis of conversations in the diffusion of video advertising – fabric and its offer of a new advertising format. BeeAd indeed offers users to watch a video ad to access media content. This model was initially tested on the platform Beezik, which allows downloading music for free provided you have clicked on a video advertising. "This will provide a complete solution of video and social networks to advertisers," said Bertrand Quesada, CEO and cofounder of Ebuzzing.

40 million

"We were approached by many groups for a takeover, but we wanted to keep moving. We had enough cash in reserve and good technological edge, said Jean Canzoneri, CEO and cofounder of BeeAd. Building on Ebuzzing, we opted for speed. "BeeAd will indeed be launched internationally through the network group Ebuzzing. Mid-April, the offer should be marketed in Italy, Germany, Spain and the UK.

To satisfy both parties, the transaction – the amount has not been revealed – based "largely on a share exchange," says Bertrand Quesada. BeeAd leaders become "shareholders and associates" of Ebuzzing. The system should generate 40 million euros in turnover in 2012 and doubled in a year. And that, not including revenue could be generated internationally by BeeAd. This expansion will be accompanied by 30 to 50 recruits. They will add to the 200 people working at Ebuzzing and 40 employees Beezik.

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The French prefer cats to dogs. This is what emerges from the latest survey by TNS-Sofres on behalf of Facco (Employers' Federation of manufacturers of prepared foods for dogs, cats, birds and other pets).

The number of cats is increasing (923,000 in 4 + years) to reach today 10.96 million topics at the expense of the dogs. The strengths of these are still in decline (- 488,000 in 4 years) and amounted to 7.59 million.

However, this view does not reflect a lack of love for the canine species from the French. It is rather an awareness of the responsibility that owning a dog that would be the main reason.  

Masters of free and responsible

Masters of increasingly responsible if one judges also by the rate of sterilization and that the investigation highlights that increases steadily year on year to 32.5% of the total population of dogs (or + 3 points compared to 2008) and 74.2% in cats (+ 2 points).

18.3% of non-dog owners believe that it can cause "problem when they go on a weekend or holiday." This may explain why the small breeds, the "boilerplate" are increasingly the coast.

The investigation revealed that Facco "dogs live mostly in homes of average size [in] rural areas, in houses with gardens. There are more often than in the past someone at home during the day. Cats, they are found mostly in medium-sized families living in rural areas in houses with gardens. "

The other reason cited for not acquiring a dog is "the commitment it represents over several years" for 11 no fax payday loan.8% of respondents.

Older, supposed to have more time, not "crack" not easier for a dog. The survey observed an underrepresentation of the age group over 55 years. "This age group made up largely of retired, healthy, and with a comfortable purchasing power, is a traveling public, which focuses on outdoor recreation and is therefore looking for a flexibility, "note the analysts Facco.

Cost and maintenance: a pattern little mention

And although some purebred dogs reach very high price to buy (up to 4000 euros), as also the care and maintenance budget is also taken into account, provided, "the cost of acquisition and maintenance of the animal is not a discriminating factor as a result of non-possession is cited as most important by only 2.9% of non-owners, "notes the survey yet. 

The maintenance cost to maintain healthy animals do not appear as a brake, it is also parallel to remind the French are only about 4% to ensure their pets by taking out a contract for Animal Health allowing reimbursement of veterinary fees for accidents or illness.

A rate that is struggling to "take off", France accused in this area lags behind compared to the UK where the rate of health insurance for 30% of animal owners, and … 80% in Sweden.

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The end of the franc is big to the Treasury. The latest * franc notes were redeemable at branches of the Bank of France until February 17 at midnight. Ten days after the end of the countdown, the institution is taking stock. A total of 1.5 million tickets have been reported for a total value of 378 million francs (57.6 million), from 1 September 2011 and the deadline of February 17. According to the Bank of France, there is 55 million franc banknotes in circulation, hidden under the mattress, forgotten in old bags or kept by collectors nostalgic. A nest egg estimated at 526 million euros.

And this balance, called "base emission" will be donated to the State. Indeed, the notes and coins in circulation are considered a debt, on the liability side of the central bank. "To annulerla debt, the value of the tickets not presented for exchange is repaid to the State," said the Bank of France in a newsletter. All these francs lost, forgotten or become so jealously preserved revenue to the exchequer.

The countryside of the Banque de France will not have been very successful, despite his repeated reminders to the holders of francs in recent months and the creation of a dedicated website (www.jechangemesfrancs.com). The franc banknotes still in circulation became indeed a treasure of 602 million euros in late 2010. Yet the French had thrown at the offices of the institution's approach to the deadline. "Just under 200,000 cuts were exchanged in December 2011, but nearly 367,000 in January 2012 and 733,000 cuts on the first 17 days of February," says the Bank of France. A record was set on February 17, with 91,000 tickets reported.  

The large denomination reported mass

For latecomers or those who have not managed to get hold of these small economies too well hidden, they have "no choice but to keep their tickets as a souvenir or sell to coin collectors," warns we at the Bank of France. But beware, all tickets will not take the value. "Better to have kept the cuts of 20 francs or 50 francs Debussy Saint-Exupery," said Michel Prieur, specialist of currencies within the Compagnie Générale de Bourse (CGB.fr). Now demonetized, only small values ​​will make a "margin buxom." A lesson that apprentices numismatists have understood. "Two thirds of the reported cuts are notes of 200 francs and 500 francs," says the Bank of France, which states that "the average volume of trade amounted to 15 tickets per transaction, for an average value of 3627 francs (553 euros). "

* The range of notes that can be exchanged against euro: CHF 20 bills bearing the image of Debussy, equivalent to 3.05 euros, the "Saint-Exupery" 50 francs (7.62 euros) , the "Cezanne" of 100 francs (15.24 euros), "Gustave Eiffel" of 200 francs (30.49 euros) and the "Pierre et Marie Curie" of 500 francs (76.22 euros).

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It was one of the key ideas of the socialist program, before Francis Holland revise downwards its ambitions: the merger of the Income Tax (IR) and the CSG. Now the PS candidate speaks only of reconciliation by the end of its protection mandate. In 2010, the UMP had also considered the option of a merger-IR CSG, before abandoning it.

A government report, prepared by the Department of Budget aimed at parliamentarians, rather gives reason to oppose this tax big bang. For this report, as Le Figaro has obtained, says the administration will not be able to say, before the implementation of the reform, which categories of French will be the winners and which classes will lose. And even if she knows the parameters of the operation. The fusion of IR and CSG would be a leap into the unknown. A leap of faith with immense fiscal challenges: the CSG reported 86 billion in 2011 and IR 48.9 billion.

A complex system

It is the complexity of the current system is causing these problems. The IR and the CSG are two very different taxes. The CSG is proportional. Wages, regardless of their levels, are always punctured by 7.5%. The IR is progressive: the tax rate varies according to income. Income between 5,963 and 11,896 euros per year are taxed at 5.5%, those between 11,896 and 26,420 euros to 14%, etc.. And, unlike the CSG, the IR has many niches. Finally, the IR takes into account the composition of the family through the family quotient, that is not the CSG.

Reconcile the two systems implies change settings so numerous that it becomes impossible to measure the combined effects. There is no way, says Bercy, to be certain that the objective (make taxation more "just" socially, with fewer niches and a progressive scale, as desired by the Socialists) is reached.

No flat tax

The report further finds that certain categories, such as pensioners, could lose to a fusion of IR and the CSG. Their two advantages (a CSG lower, a 10% reduction on the IR) could be questioned.

However, the new tax could not, whatever happens, be modeled on some flat tax adopted in Eastern Europe. The flat taxne not take into account the family situation, is proportional and is taken directly from the payroll. But the report stresses that the new French tax must meet three criteria, under penalty of being declared unconstitutional: consider the family situation, be progressive (not proportional) and tax all income. However nothing prevents the imposition of a levy directly on the payroll in France. But again, tipping is technically complex … Merge the IR and the CSG to create a new tax is a long, complicated, and uncertain results.

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"We will put patterns Florange unemployed by taking control of the plant." Edward Martin, representative of the CFDT EWC ArcelorMittal, wants offensive. The occupation of the site, scheduled for tomorrow, is a direct consequence of the extension until 30 June of the closure of two blast furnaces Florange, the last of Lorraine. "The direction we to understand that, barring a miracle, this closure would last all year," says Edward Martin.

For several months, the largest producer of steel has many announcements to reduce its production capacity. Spain, Belgium and France but also Romania and Czech Republic were affected. Today, only the blast furnaces in Liege never reopen. Other closures are for the moment, temporary.

A temporary measure reaffirmed to the minister, Eric Besson

Bourrier Hervé, President of ArcelorMittal France, reaffirmed that "temporary" to Eric Besson, Minister of Industry, last week. Employees such as trade unionists fear yet more than this closing becomes final. The clues that point in this direction are beginning to be numerous.

"A blast furnace is designed to run continuously, says an industry expert. It degrades when it is not the case. "The first blast furnace Florange is closed since June. The second since October. Investment and maintenance are reduced. Some were made late last year but "there is nothing for a month and a half" notes François Pagano, CFE-CGC delegate. "The industrial base is deteriorating, laments Edward Martin. With the cold, some lines broken. "Worse:" The founders began to be reclassified in the group. Leaders do not take it otherwise if they had close Florange. "

The recovery of orders has not changed all that

The recovery of orders failed to revive the plant. Aditya Mittal, CFO of ArcelorMittal, said on publication of results in 2011 that "shipments are much better than the fourth quarter of 2011, but we are still far volumes 2006, 2007 and 2008." What does surprisingly, these years being excellent.

Francois Pagano explains that "the business unit North, including Dunkirk, Florange, Benelux and Germany, recorded 3.7 million tons of orders for the second quarter of 2012 while its production capacity is 3.8 million . So the plants are running at 97% capacity. At this level, it would be possible to reopen Florange to avoid a potential bottleneck. "

Finally, the closure would be consistent with the group's strategy to focus on very large production units in coastline at Dunkirk and Fos sur mer in France and Bremen in Germany. The justifications for the closure of Liege seem perfectly applicable to Florange. "ArcelorMittal is considering a gain of 56 euros per tonne, which would be credited to the closure of Liege and transfer the production of slabs (Note: raw material for the manufacture of sheet metal) to Dunkirk," says the firm Laplace Council A study commissioned by the Walloon region. The forward gain is identical to Florange: "The leaders explain that ArcelorMittal bring slabs from Dunkirk saves 50 euros per tonne," confirms Francois Pagano.

With increased action "punch", although some have put Florange in the heart of the current election campaign. "Getting a formal commitment of a private company seems complicated," admits to the entourage of Eric Besson. A conclusion which adheres Francois Pagano whose only solution is to "convince Lakshmi Mittal's economic interest Florange".

"Ulcos" or last resort

All actors in the Lorraine steel cite Ulcos project, the acronym for "steel making process at very low CO2 emissions," as salvation for Florange. Launched in 2004, this is a program to find new techniques to produce steel with less carbon dioxide (CO2). Investments for carrying out are huge: 650 million euros! The French government has already pledged 150 million euros of funding. And Brussels could bring 250 million additional. ArcelorMittal leaders have vowed to launch Ulcos, and bring the balance of funding, if EU subsidies are granted.

Except that many obstacles have arisen in recent months. First techniques. The processes developed by Ulcos involve capturing and storing carbon. But experts are beginning to question this technique both for environmental reasons and efficiency.

Then the price of CO2 allowances collapsed in recent months, making plans to reduce CO2 emissions less urgent to implement. And nothing suggests that prices will go up quickly. In difficult economic times, as is currently the case, companies may be reluctant to invest in such technologies if there is no immediate financial implications.

Finally, there is little doubt that ArcelorMittal will decide to raise, or not, Florange on the basis of the only economic criteria. "The management of ArcelorMittal has told us clearly that Florange restarted if the market justifies it, and not only if Ulcos born," stated Michel Liebgott recently, area MP Florange.

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