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On the eve of the publication of results of Veolia, a board of directors at high risk takes place today Wednesday. Officially it is only to approve the annual accounts of the leading global service to local communities. A particularly difficult task. Veolia Environnement is expected to announce a loss that, according to the most pessimistic forecasts could exceed 400 million euros. CEO Antoine Frerot has, indeed, last summer provisioned 838 million euros in assets and Veolia announced a half-year loss, before launching a new profit warning in October.

Beyond the numbers, it is open warfare between Proglio, former CEO, and Mr. Frérot, his successor and former prisoners, which stimulates our curiosity.  

Rumors last week, on a landing of Antoine Brother and his replacement by former Environment Minister Borloo caused an outcry and controversy that has swollen to the Elysee. The hypothesis Borloo was then quickly dismissed. As for the crucial issue of governance, it should not be treated before the presidential election.

The CEO of EDF, must always

Anyway, nobody can guarantee that the impetuous Proglio will not return when the board held at noon. The CEO of EDF has declared war on his former protégé since it has challenged its management at the helm of Veolia. He could distance himself from the strategy of cost reduction and contraction of the debt through the sale of billions of euros of assets, starting with the branch transport Transdev online payday loans. Unless this advice is especially an opportunity for administrators to try to stop a war they have hardly appreciated as it gives a poor image "of the governance of French companies," said a close group.

Antoine Frérot big plays. Hitherto largely under the thumb of his mentor, he might seek to impose and carry out the restoration group. Unless, like imagine trying to do a close case, the two men do not come close again.

A return to the harmony of the past, however, seems difficult to contemplate. Especially since the issue of governance is far from over. Five of the seven directors, all chosen by Proglio, must be renewed soon to the Board of Veolia. Augustin de Romanet, who leaves March 7 the Deposit, will resign tonight's mandate. On 15 March a new board will decide on the expiration of the term of Baudouin Prot (BNP Paribas), Jean Azema (former head of Groupama), Louis Schweitzer and Pierre-Andre de Chalendar (Saint Gobain). Antoine Frérot attempt he then to bring relatives to the board to loosen the grip?

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"Contract giant to clean the waters of Paris

An overwhelming majority of Germans opposed the new plan of aid to Greece, considered the Rhine as a "bottomless pit": 62% were against while 33% are in favor of the second package, according to a survey of Bild am Sonntag. But Angela Merkel is assured of getting a solid "yes" of members of the Bundestag on Monday. However, the vote on the planned European stability mechanism that Monday was canceled. "Greece is currently the priority," said a spokesman for the MP Fricke Otoo, responsible for budgetary matters within the FDP parliamentary group. For its part, the Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, no longer excludes a third bailout.

For the seventh time in less than two years, 620 members of the Lower House of Parliament shall meet in extraordinary session to give the green light at the European level against the debt crisis. Each time, Merkel has to struggle to gather behind his own majority. German lawmakers must approve by a large majority a motion detailing the decisions taken in Brussels a week earlier by the Eurogroup, essentially a second aid package of 130 billion euros to Greece. Germany's share is $ 35 billion.

Incentives for a withdrawal of Greece from the euro area

There is no guarantee the success of the second plan, according to Wolfgang Schäuble, who does not dismiss the idea of ​​a new bailout program in the coming years. "We can not say with certainty that the path taken will be successful. It is also possible that this is not the last time that the German Parliament will have to consider financial assistance to Greece, he wrote in a letter to parliamentarians, urging them to approve the bailout plan in Athens. Because I am convinced that this is the track I require your support for this plan. "

For the first time this weekend, a member of the German government has called for an output of Greece in the euro area. "I do not mean to exclude the Grècede the euro area, assured the Minister of the Interior, the Bavarian conservative Hans-Peter Friedrich, but to succeed in creating incentives for a withdrawal that can not be broken." It considered "the greatest chances of Greece to regenerate outside the Economic and Monetary Union." The observers will scrutinize closely the number of rebels in the majority of the Chancellor. Considering that this is the least damaging solutions, many elected officials should vote the plan rather ungraciously.

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"Greece: Rescue historic but painful

"The Europeans have welcomed a" good agreement "on Greece

On the eve of Mobile World Congress, the rendezvous sector held in Barcelona, ​​the year's trends are emerging. The most visible growth in the size of screens, far from the miniaturization that marked the beginning of mobile telephony.

Screens over 10 inches become a quasi-standard. Less convenient to slip into a jeans pocket, they cater primarily to new uses of the smartphone, including photo and video. Consumers take an average of 35 files per month with their phones, 32 against with a camera, a study by the CEA. Hence the choice of brands like HTC and Sony take particular care to the quality objectives, systems of optical stabilization and resolution of screens.

Meanwhile, the features for sharing images on social networks develop. Facebook and Twitter become incontournables.Grâce these screens, smart phones become mobile TV sets. The smartphone owners spend "5 billion hours" watching video content on their mobiles in public transport, according to a study by Deloitte! Corollary of the video, the sound quality has become an issue. The new generation of smartphones could overcome their accessories, helmets and other docking stations, thanks to the speakers better. Meanwhile, 4G, which can transmit data faster, photos and videos, is becoming widespread.

"Wallet"

To attract a younger clientele, manufacturers also account for increased ranges including products more affordable, more rounded curves, and colors. Deloitte predicts an explosion and the smartphone market under $ 100, including more than 500 million copies will be sold worldwide this year us fast cash.

The smartphone has become "an object that you show a sign of social recognition. It has become a fashion business, "says Cesare Garlati, Consumerization director at Trend Micro. Hence the importance for manufacturers to build their brand, even associate it with others. Like the LG, which is betting on its partnership with Prada to boost sales.

Also new to the Korean, "tag", sort of sticker apposable example at the entrance of a meeting room. It simply move its smartphone, LG Optimus Tag LTE, so that it is automatically muted and the Wi-Fi is activated. This is one of the many applications that allows the development of contactless. Not only contactless payments will grow, but the travel cards and other loyalty cards can also be used in the same way. "The smartphones will finally take on the role of electronic wallet that promises them for several years," says Renaud Ménérat, president of UserADgents.

And to go even further, STMicroelectronics has developed an altitude sensor, which, coupled with GPS features a telephone, can move in the floors of a building. Useful to find his car in a parking lot, look for a brand in a department store, with the option to receive commercial offers highly targeted.

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"Google will compete with Apple on electronic products

The intervention of Nicolas Sarkozy to save Alstom in summer 2004, to his recent statements in favor of employees of ArcelorMittal Florange site, the head of state has been well arise in the opponent's famous statement Lionel Jospin: "The state can not do everything." At least when it comes to industrial employment. "We must at all costs strangle the flow of blood Industrial France," he repeated again in January. Since 2007, the government frequently intervened in several disputes, most often publicized in order to save jobs. A few weeks before the presidential election, the employees do not hesitate to use the campaign to make their demands heard. Overview of some government promises … and their future.

The success

• Photowatt. The resumption of French pioneer of photovoltaics by EDF no longer in doubt. Next Monday, the commercial court of Vienna should assign the assets of Photowatt to the public company called to the rescue by the Head of State at the end of January. Previously, STMicroelectronics, specialized microprocessors, had been approached. Without success. The next upturn of the SME Isère by EDF Energies Nouvelles is good news for employees: the subsidiary of the electrician has pledged to resume on 430 and 345 to reclassify within 60 km of the 85 remaining employees. "Everybody has a job, I do not see what you could get any better," responded Tuesday a Steward FW, while conceding that "the industrial project is to build". According to the UMP Bourgoin, Alain Moyne-Bressan, must already "put 50 million euros on the table for the coming months."

• Lejaby. Mid-January 2012, the Tribunal de Commerce de Lyon chose Alain Prost, former manager of La Perla and Chantelle, as the buyer of the manufacturer of linen placed in receivership. Only problem: the entrepreneur, who keeps only about 450 195 employees, wants to relocate the entire production in Tunisia. This is sign the death warrant of the factory Lejaby Yssingeaux, and the dismissal of his 93 employees. An announcement of the worst effect when the candidate Nicolas Sarkozy – not yet declared – boasts the "Made in France". "I will not let down the people of Lejaby," he warned on January 29. It is ultimately the luxury group LVMH, requested by the Elysee, which will come to the aid of the factory from Auvergne. The takeover bid, from a subcontractor for Louis Vuitton, the company Sofama, was filed on February 1. All staff should be re-employed on permanent contracts, and converted into luxury leather goods.  

Failures:

• Gandhinagar. February 4, 2008, the Head of State gives hope to the 595 employees of ArcelorMittal factory in Lorraine, then threatened with partial closure in the near future. "The State prefers to invest in modernizing the site rather than paying people to go with either early retirement or unemployed," he explained then. He continued: "I will myself announce it has found the solution." If, despite these promises, 595 jobs will actually be discontinued from 31 March 2009, the city of Gandhinagar, however, benefited from a state investment of 5 million for a learning center, and a contract worth 300 million euros between RFF and the steelmaker Corus. Objective: To produce the rails RFF within its Hayange plant, near the disaster site.

"Nicolas Sarkozy in Gandhinagar:

……

"The response to the crisis is to make work pay". It is based on the assumption that Nicolas Sarkozy made Wednesday night on France 2, several proposals that undoubtedly feed the debate of the campaign in the coming days.

• Low income: Net increase wages

Nicolas Sarkozy wants to increase by almost 1,000 euros per year net salary paid individuals between 1 and 1.2 SMIC (1100 to 1300 Euros net per month currently). This amounts to very nearly, in their 13th month pay. To do so without increasing the cost of labor or dig public deficits, he proposes easing the employee social security contributions, amounting to 4 billion euros. In return, the earned income tax will be abolished (2.5 billion savings) and taxation on financial income in line with that of labor (1.5 billion in additional revenue).

Nicolas Sarkozy promises a gain in purchasing power visible "on the payroll" of "7 million employees," while widening the gap between earned income and "welfare". It also presents the device as the counterpart of the social VAT – setting up, it, to reduce employer costs. The outgoing president also prefers to call this the ultimate measure of his five years' VAT antidélocalisation ". It reiterated its belief that it will help to prevent France from emptying "of the blood industry" – a phrase borrowed from amazingly … Jean-Luc Melenchon.

The employment bonus (PPE), founded in 2001 by Lionel Jospin, was to encourage the unemployed back to work, even poorly paid. Heavily criticized for its cost, late payment (one to two years after returning to work) so little incentive, and sprinkling (6 payday loans no teletrack.7 million profit in 2011), the head of state had promised in 2007 remove PPE. But he encountered, elected to the reluctance of some of its majority.

• RSA: a "community service" mandatory

Each recipient of RSA will perform "Seven hours of community service paid minimum wage." That is to generalize an experiment launched in November in 11 departments, he already sees as a "success". Nicolas Sarkozy believes that the RSA is "effective in the fight against poverty" but "not sufficient to re-enter the labor market" its beneficiaries.

• Major employers: to end the "anything" Compensation

Nicolas Sarkozy makes it clear not want to go after "the majority of business leaders" but to "the tiny minority that shocked the French in doing anything." For them, it shows radical ban "final" pension hats, including taxation has increased significantly during the five year term, and golden parachutes. "But that's not enough," he adds. The remuneration committees that set the incomes of top managers, will have to rely "systematically an employee representative." Their proposals will be validated "by the general meeting of shareholders", and not by the board, and published "in legal documents."

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"The government defends its" employment tax "

Astronomical. "Up to 240 annual smics!" Is outraged our colleague Humanity 2010 on remuneration of bosses of the CAC 40. They were published last week by the firm Proxinvest and nobody can ignore. As well as gains of the gods of football – which also outperform the widely – these figures fascinate the public. The wage scale has become a Jacob's ladder reaching to the sky, thinks it.

Yet it is not clear that these large differences are what torture the most attention. In terms of money and wellness, each social category is positioned first in terms of his entourage. According to the adage of economists, "a rich man is one who earns 100 dollars more than his brother." The "redneck" is both part of the family without being a blood relative: it is the reference iconic to which everyone is measured.

Yann Algan, Pierre Cahuc and André Zylberberg pointed out forcefully in their new book on the "French disease". The title is quite explicit: "The Making of the mistrust … and how to get out." In a country that devotes "a passion for equality", in the words of Alexis de Tocqueville, "the comparative social 'tends to become a national sport more than anywhere else.

"Group Psychology" depressed

The authors start from the observation, now classic, that France is the world champion of pessimism, as evidenced by all the international surveys. And the main reason, in their view, is the lack of collective confidence that undermines the morale of the country and its economy.

They cite the words of the writer squeaky Jules Renard, well known to students: "It is not enough to be happy, it is still necessary that others are not." They also rely on General de Gaulle, who , in his "Memoirs of Hope," written in 1970 a few months after leaving office, this was disillusioned: "Social relations are marked by mistrust and bitterness. Everyone feels what it lacks rather than what he has. "

This means if the diagnosis of our "collective psychology" is not depressed again. The analyzes and books by Alain Peyrefitte, which date back to 1980 and 1990, already denounced "a society of distrust, timid, zero sum game, where the common life is a zero sum game, or even negative-sum (if you win, I lose). "

The merit of Algan, Cahuc and Zylberberg is well to emphasize the two-elements which they believe lead to "the fabric of confidence." This is, firstly, "the school, a vertical unit," where the relationship of teacher and pupil leaves no room for group work and the sense of reciprocity guaranteed payday loan. It is, secondly, as an adult this time, the obsession hierarchical labor relations, "the professional world of the French is hierarchical in the extreme" and the result is totally against-productive .

From there, you can decline all French specificities. They have been repeatedly criticized, but here are a perfect consistency. "The cult of the degree, the social reproduction of elites" are all factors of rigidity. "The relationship between employees and managers (who) are the most contentious among all OECD countries' crippling competitiveness of" Made in France ".

Our social landscape is unparalleled in the world, with its "right to work grotesque," a tiny unionization rate (8%). Yet this very small representation, where unions are funded 80% by lack of state subsidies required contributions, "promotes a culture of conflict" and bidding. Wage negotiations are thereby completely devitalized. The practical consequence is the exceptional importance of the number of people paid the minimum wage (nearly 17% of employees, the record in Europe).

"Company locked"

The State acts as the master of all clocks: it sets the remuneration of labor as well as those of capital. Nowhere, savings administered by the state plays a less pervasive. With this ridiculous ritual of fixing "the rate of the booklet A", where the country seems to hold his breath every time.

This "blocked society", in the words of Prime Minister Jacques Chaban-Delmas, in his 1969 speech to the National Assembly has become famous, is synonymous with corporatism and clientelism. We count no fewer than 600 different pension schemes: each profession tries to preserve its status at the expense of their neighbors.  

As for some 504 tax loopholes, they reflect the hard work of lobbying for a particular advantage of the state. Each defending himself, he can, because everyone is afraid. Hence the psychosis of decommissioning reached extravagant proportions: according to a TNS Sofres in October 2008, "60% of the French had – already – fear of becoming homeless."

Clearly, "restoring confidence is improving both welfare and economic performance." The authors propose a cultural revolution, with "top the list of school reform" and, at the other end of the chain, the imperative "to restore the exemplary political powers." It's now or never to discuss it.

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As previously announced, the 165 countries present at the conference in Geneva's Radio International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has agreed to allocate to telecommunication carriers much of the frequency bands currently used for broadcast television.

Specifically, the conference allows countries that wish to assign to the mobile part of frequencies called "gold" (800 to 900 MHz). These frequencies are valuable because the waves will propagate better. Consequently, there is less need for issuers and high frequencies. And therefore the construction of a network is less expensive. In France, mobile operators have snatched the first gold frequencies auctioned by the state in late 2011.

Growing needs

However, the Geneva conference gave each country free to make or not the transfer frequency. François Rancy, office director of the ITU Radio, said that "television can make the spectrum" on mobile "as it goes digital."

African countries or the Middle East want to do it quickly because they rely more on telecommunications than on broadcasting. For France, Eric Besson, Minister of Industry, recently reassured the audiovisual world by telling the BBC that no change of use of the band 694-790 MHz was planned at this time. "The DTT channels should continue to develop on frequencies that have been assigned or allocated to them by the end of 2012," he had specified.

This process is not completed, said François Rancy. In 2015, during the next radiocommunication conference, countries will decide whether it is possible to assign even more frequency bands to mobile "to meet" its growing needs, smartphones with smartphones that "increasing traffic "and therefore require" much more frequency "to convey information.

Mobile broadband is widespread in Western countries, but it is becoming increasingly the technology of choice for hundreds of millions of people in developing countries, where fixed telecommunications infrastructure are often incomplete and costly to install .

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"The telecom eyeing the TV frequencies

Yesterday, Al Jazeera Sports has won another round in its development strategy in French football. The future French declension with the Qatari called to emerge by June, has indeed been assigned by the UEFA some of the TV rights for the Europa League, together with M6. This was announced yesterday that European football's governing body on its website, thus satisfying one of the objectives of management for future pay-sports channel.

Rights doubled

For 16 million euro under the Team, both chains will share thus the spread of the second largest European club competition, over the period 2012-2015. Jackpot for UEFA, who sees and double the previous revenue received from Canal + and M6 for this competition (8 million). But bad news for the encrypted string, which is seen again reduce its offer football, in a leak of its journalists to Qatar chain (see below).

For football fans, this new distribution rights for the Europa League should not cause major upheaval. The best match of each day will be broadcast on free DTT subsidiary of M6: W9, and summaries after each match night. In the presence of French clubs, "the meetings of the semifinals and final will be broadcast on M6" said UEFA. For its part, the future chain headed by Charles Bietry obtains the rights to all games, "including the final." The latter, still officially called Al Jazeera Sport but that could take the "Be In Sports," will broadcast at least two live games, as well as summaries highlight each evening meeting.

Build the program schedule

By this new blow, and Charles Bietry continues building the program schedule of Al Jazeera Sport, which will have not one but two stations, broadcast 24h/24. The acquisition of sports rights is a priority to fill the boxes of these new entrants in the audiovisual paying, created ex nihilo. Management has also not hidden his determination to focus also on other sports. In this war to sports rights in football, Canal +, however, can claim to have kept, with 13 choices of the Champions League and the top two of each day in the French league (L1), posters and more attractive.  

Faced with the Champions League, bringing together the best European teams of clubs, the Europa League is indeed a second best competition at European level. Until the launch channels that will validate or not this quantitative strategy, the Qatari channel may soon increase his offer with obtaining rights much more attractive to the Euro 2012 football and 2016, which have not been assigned by UEFA.

Canal + ranks swell those of Al Jazeera

Darren Tullet worked on Canal + in 10 years.

One more step toward "collaborative consumption". Since mid February, Accor is gradually auctioned on eBay for thousands of furniture and decorative objects. The French hotel group separates from sofas, tables, storage units and other mirrors and lamps in good condition, from hotels that are, or will be under renovation this year.

For starters, Accor has dozens of parts shop from three Parisian hotels: the Sofitel Arc de Triomphe, the Sofitel Le Faubourg and Pullman La Defense. The issue for Accor is to provide the furniture "an opportunity to rebuild their lives," and "experiment with a new open model that allows the public to contribute to a responsible approach while enjoying quality furniture at prices attractive, "said Denis Hennequin, president and CEO of the group.

Revenues accrue to hotels

Anyone can acquire since last Tuesday a light golden metal came from a Sofitel at 40 euros in "buy it now", or raise the stakes on a storage unit art deco style blond wood (14 to 216 euros after the auction) . Throughout the year, Accor will supply the shop, named Reborn, used in new products. In all, 2,500 objects will be sold on eBay by the end of April and five hotels, which will soon be renovated, in turn will empty themselves of their furniture.  

Until then, the furniture of the hotels were donated to associations or auctioned, or distributed to employees sent in a sequence of revaluation no faxing 1 hour payday loans. With the Internet, "it multiplies our sales opportunities, one frees oneself of the geography," Sophie Flak bids, director of sustainable development at Accor.

Proceeds from these sales will return in the accounts of hotels, which will afford new furniture, more up to date. They "will not be paid to charity: My obsession is to link sustainable development with the economic one leads to large scale," says Sophie Flak. To do this, that any matter, even responsible, profitable.

Accor has not made revenue projections for this new way of selling its furniture. But an initial estimate will édvoilée April.

Last year, the George V Hotel in Paris organized an auction of all of its furniture: kitchen equipment, bedding, curtains, fitness machines, prints, rugs, etc.. But the operation was not done on the Internet. Ditto, in 2008, the Royal Monceau in Paris still had auctioned some 2360 involving lots lamps, cushions, towels, chairs and sculptures … Before the opening of sales, was expected between EUR 800,000 and EUR 1 million in revenue. In the end, the Royal Monceau has earned 3.35 million euros.

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"The furniture of the Royal Monceau auction

Optimism prevails again on Asian stock markets Wednesday morning, after a session marked by caution yesterday. The markets are reassured by the statements of President of the Chinese central bank Zhou Xiaochuan has expressed his support that night to the euro area. "We have confidence in the development of Europe and we have confidence in the euro," he said in the presence of officials of the European Union. "China will continue to invest in European government bonds while ensuring their safety, liquidity and the appreciation of their value." "We attach great importance to your confidence," said the European Council President, Herman Van Rompuy, saying that "the key word for China-EU relations is partnership, not rivalry."

In Tokyo, the Nikkei closed up sharply from 2.30% to 9,260.34 points, ending at its highest level since August 2011. The index has gained 2.60% up at the meeting, briefly surpassing the 9,300 points. In China, the Hong Kong Hang Seng gained 1.97% to 21,330.65 points around 7 am (Paris time), while the composite index of Shanghai Stock Exchange rose 1.07% to 2369.91 points . The Kospi in Seoul also advanced 1.07% to 2,024.12 points and the S & P / ASX 200 by 0.25% to 4253.40 points.

The yen declined

The Tokyo Stock Exchange is also supported by the decline of the yen against the dollar since the announcement yesterday of a monetary easing by the central bank of Japan. This morning, the greenback is trading against 78.425 yen against 77.61 yen late Monday. The euro is changing his side around 103.40 yen against 102.34 yen late Monday. This trend benefits the Japanese export values: Toyota climbs and 4.81% to 3275 yen, Honda of 3.36% to 2890 yen, Sony of 5.70% to 1575 yen and Nintendo of 4.93% to 11,280 yen.

Side of the oil markets, prices are mixed: a barrel of "light sweet crude" for March delivery takes two cents to 100.76 dollars in electronic trading morning. The Brent North Sea crude for April delivery fell back four cents to 117.35 dollars.