Photo credits: Le Figaro
Photo credits: Le Figaro
Henri Proglio and Anne Lauvergeon, who lead respectively EDF and Areva, are called in on Wednesday afternoon at Matignon. The Prime Minister has every intention of putting an end to bitter arguments currently taking place between the two main leaders of the French nuclear industry.
Since late December, the two groups, which have the state as shareholder ultramajoritaire, to blame for the failure of the bidding in Abu Dhabi. And in January, has expanded their quarrel: Areva has just suspended the transportation of spent fuel – from EDF's power – to its reprocessing plant at La Hague. In the entourage of Francois Fillon, it stresses that both companies are forced to work together.The prime minister wants to put an end to these incessant disputes and public.
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The blame for the situation that threatens the morale of households and owners who do not sell. Despite lower prices by 4.9% in 2009 and interest rates lower, the French believe that this is not the right time to buy. According to the Ifop survey presented Tuesday by the National Federation of Real Estate (FNAIM), 76% of potential buyers find that prices are too high and 51% it is difficult to obtain credit.
At these fears including rising unemployment, compounded by the lack of property: 60% of potential purchasers can not find property they like. "Many owners receive their property from the market because falling prices have made conditions unfavorable to sellers," admits the Fnaim comprising 13,000 agencies. Only 11% of owners consider that the time is ripe to sell.
600,000 sales in 2010
Despite these very encouraging indicators, Rene Pallincourt, President Fnaim wants to believe. "The crisis is behind us, we are in the period of crisis," says he, adding that this period would be "more or less long. Counting on the sustainability of the tremor recorded in December 2009, he believes in a modest recovery in 2010 which confirmed in 2011.
"There will be no sharp rebound but with low interest rates, purchase conditions improved particularly for households with incomes of about 3,000 euros. More buyers have incorporated that prices will fall more and the period of speculation on the price decline is over, "explains Fnaim. For her, the prices will undergo changes from -3% to +3%, while the value of property in the affected employment areas or remote areas may still fall.
Rene Pallincourt remains optimistic and expects a global increase in sales in 2010. If estimated at 550,000 the total number of transactions in France in 2009, he expects 600,000 in 2010. Estimates superior to those of notaries and the branch network Century 21.
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Born in the urgency of the crisis, the idea of an "economic government" back in force at the time construction begins the following: provide sustainable Europe on track towards growth and employment . Herman Van Rompuy, EU president, described the emergency Friday as "a matter of survival" for the continent. In response, the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero suggests a tighter coordination of national economic policies, with the possibility of sanctions against the recalcitrant.
For his baptism of fire in Madrid, the first president of the European Council has sounded the alarm. Europe out of the crisis weakened and "defensive," said Herman Van Rompuy. She has no choice. After the test, "the growth potential of the EU has fallen to just over 1% per year. It will not be sufficient to fund our social model (…) and the so-called European way of life. "It is time to speak truth to reforms and "the collective effort."
Europe out of the crisis and palliative care, but diagnosis remains gloomy backdrop of sluggish growth and industrial decline facing Asia and America. Unemployment rose for the first time in over 10% in the euro area, adds gloom. The first test of a burst is due February 11 in Brussels at an extraordinary economic summit with President Van Rompuy himself summoned.
Risk for sovereignty
Spain Jose Luis Zapatero, who holds the presidency of the EU, expresses its readiness to help."We must absolutely take another strategy (growth), binding, with the 2020," said Spanish Prime Minister told reporters.
For Madrid, the collective rules that already apply to the euro, government deficits or the competition on the market provide a unique model of governance. It should be expanded to a European recovery in the medium term. The idea remains controversial. If France pushes for eighteen months a "greater coordination" industrial policies, Germany is notoriously reticent. As for Britain, it opposes the front to European encroachment on its sovereignty.
Spain wants to raise – and more muscular – the idea of an investment plan in ten years. Already proposed in the late 1990s, the Lisbon Strategy was to make Europe the area's most competitive. In 2010, she finds herself far short.Now Madrid wants to go further by requiring states to targets and deadlines in areas deemed critical: energy, education, the digital economy or vocational training. The scoreboard would be monitored by Brussels. "Incentives and corrective measures will complement the device, said Jose Luis Zapatero. This time, it is to ensure that the objectives will be achieved. "
Madrid launches the debate with a hint of provocation. Herman Van Rompuy has not taken over the idea of a constraint. The crisis has restored the fortunes of interventionism. But the Spanish recipe may strike the interests of States.The Capitals would not see a good eye, the EU invested a right to control their expenditure budget, or even any power to sanction.
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The commercial success of Ariane would be impossible without an industrial organization has become, over the years, more effective. Until 2002, the CNES was responsible for developing the rocket, Arianespace managing manufacturing and Aerospatiale, the ancestor of Astrium, took charge of industrial architecture. This division of labor worked somehow. Each pitcher was a prototype. This organization generates a lot of losses.
After the drama of the maiden flight of Ariane 5, June 4, 1996, the failure of the model is used. The new rocket exploded in flight; European space wavers. "It is the founding event. He had organizational change. Finally, the European Space Agency has decided, under German leadership, entrusted with the responsibility of Astrium development and production, "said Francois Auque, President of Astrium.The reorganization was launched under his leadership.
Specialization sites, reduction (- 25% production – 40% in the support functions), quality improvement … It is to stabilize the development model of Ariadne to improve reliability and meet delivery. "The success of a pitcher is related to its reliability and its competitiveness, stressed the President of Astrium. We are able to deliver the launcher three to four days before the contractual date. "
Subject sophisticated technology, the Ariane 5 is the first to be produced in series. In early 2009, Astrium took command of 35 Ariane 5 to 4 billion euros. The manufacturer will provide 7 launchers per year from the second half of 2010. The availability of Ariane is guaranteed until 2015. Reassuring for customers!
The organization is well established.10 countries and 86 suppliers are engaged in the manufacture of the launcher. However 80% Franco-German and 60% French. Astrium is prime contractor for the launcher and floors that are assembled in Les Mureaux in France and Bremen in Germany. The French engine manufacturer Safran provides the Vulcain engine, SNPE two boosters powder, Astrium Germany cryogenic engine of the second floor.
The rocket comes in kit form in Guyana. Several times a year along the Seine, the lower part of the rocket 35 meters long and 5 meters in diameter with its engine supports Le Havre aboard a barge. From there it crosses the Atlantic on a container ship. A trip looks identical to the second floor from the port of Bremen. The junction is realized in Kourou space base Guiana, which, with its 1 350 employees, is the largest private employer in the department. Ariane is assembled on site by teams of Astrium and Arianespace.This phase lasts on average six weeks before the launch.
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A good student in terms of parity
The boss of EDF, Henri Proglio, presented Thursday to Laurent Wauquiez report on the promotion and development of alternation that Nicolas Sarkozy had ordered in April. Secretary of State for Employment wants some of its proposals – the promotion of alternation in terms of performance of public contracts, creating a portal to alternate or launching a campaign communication – to be "implemented immediately. To achieve the objective that five young people either in training by alternating between 2015 'and is closer to Germany in the field, it will launch workshops alternation.
Simplifying funding
These "think-tanks of learning", composed of representatives of training centers of chambers, organizations collecting funds and training of young apprentices must make by February "concrete answers to three questions major.
Primo, Laurent Wauquiez asked to indicate "how to help trainees in their daily lives, especially their conditions of transport, accommodation, purchase of equipment, their enterprise search or choice of their training.
Deuzio, he asks "how to develop alternate" and "extend to all levels of curriculum" and "tertiary trades" that employ only 8% of apprentices in France while there are massive deposits in tourism or call centers. The issue of quota systems, mentioned in the report Proglio, should be particularly addressed.
Thirdly, the Secretary of State for Employment will "simplify the steps or funding to encourage more companies to capitalize on the alternation.
The Paris Bourse breath on Monday following a sharp rise in a row Friday to U.S. unemployment figures. The improvement on the labor market in the United States did not establish a huge bullish consensus within the financial community. Factors support abound yet not: the rise of the dollar against major currencies has helped export values to hold their own game in the coast. But the recent outperformance of equity markets suggests that the good news on Friday was already included in prices.
At closing, the Paris Bourse shows a small decline of 0.17% to 3840 points. Even locations in London, which fell 0.22% and Frankfurt back from 0.57% to 5784 points.
More at 18h15.
The world of computers, Hewlett Packard (HP) released Monday at the close of Wall Street, results for the fourth quarter of fiscal offset. The annual net profit fell by 8% to $ 7.7 billion, although the last quarter, it is up 14% year on year to 2.4 billion dollars. Earnings per share (EPS) stood at $ 1.14, in line with analysts' expectations. Revenues, which had already been announced, is 30.8 billion over the quarter, down 8%.
These results compare with those published by other industry giants such as Dell Computer, which introduced a quarterly profit drop of 54% and a revenue and EPS below expectations.
"The company will return to growth in 2010," said HP CEO Mark Hurd, commenting on these results the financial television channel CNBC.Of slowing demand, the group had announced six months ago the abolition of 6,400 jobs, mainly in the products division.
The group confirmed its outlook for the year shifted from October to September, which just started, with sales rising, between 118 and 119 billion dollars, earnings per share excluding exceptional items of between 4.25 and 4.35 dollars.
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