Generally, the prosperity of manufacturers of diapers in a country reflects both its standard of living – the disposable diaper is a commodity rich country – and its demographic effect. It is different in Japan. For the first time in its history, Unicharm, the largest Japanese manufacturer of layers, found that sales of adult models had exceeded those targeting babies for the past year. Japan shows the proportion of over 65 years the highest in the world: 23.3%, according to official figures for October. If the fertility rate (1.39 children per woman) is also anemic, seniors will comprise 40% of the population of the archipelago in fifty years. In the image of Unicharm, out to conquer the market of the third age twenty-five years here, the Japanese supermarket is mobilized on this customer, "the engine of consumption," according to vice president of the largest supermarket chain, Aeon, quoted by Bloomberg overnight pay day loans. The "baby boom" Asian only, however, limited to the Empire of the Rising Sun. If more than 65 years represent less than 9% of consumers in China, the country's one-child policy, their number was still 26 million expanded gray heads in ten years. A market in which the Japanese Unicharm wants to tackle immediately.

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From our correspondent in Brussels.

The French like the Greeks have sanctioned the rigor and Europe seeking his bearings again. After the victory of Francois Hollande and the crushing defeat of the supporters of the euro in Athens, the EU has launched Monday in a forced march to catch up policy. Under the banner of growth, but piecemeal.

Much will depend on the ability of the elected president and German chancellor to silence by their dissonances to May 15 on what was until Sunday the compass of European capitals: the fiscal pact and collective discipline. But it is the vote that created consternation Greek. By depriving democratic legitimacy of the bailout which Europe has devoted two years in a considerable energy, it immediately wakes up the specter of a breakup of the euro.

"Greece is at the limit of what its people can cash in" on austerity, Michel Barnier recognizes facing the electoral advance of the extreme. For the French commissioner, the balance needs to find throughout the EU "between what is credible for the markets and what is bearable for the people." Angela Merkel is weakened by the ordeal, but financial orthodoxy is not provided under attack: "There is no question of renegotiating the bailout" laboriously reached in February with Athens, provides an official at the heart the discussion.

"All debts are created equal"

Sacrificing the Greek plan, or give a penknife in the Treaty budget, would be far worse than burning idols of yesterday. This would pave the way for overflow. Portugal, also on a drip European, certainly require adjustments. In Ireland, it might find in a compact variable geometry a right to say again "no" to a European treaty in the referendum of May 31

Francois Hollande has not specified how its European partners "for that austerity is no longer inevitable." Approaching his victory speech had already begun to move to Brussels as the European capitals. This was done in small steps, but the austerity of the mantras are already chipped or less: less structural reforms and budget cuts, more flexibility, employment and growth. "All public debts are not created equal," ahead of anonymity a senior official opponent of bureaucracy and cost of future investments.

A first dam jumped this weekend when the Finnish Commissioner Olli Rehn, in charge of the case, implicitly admitted that the objective of a budget deficit reduced to 3% in 2013 would perhaps not required by all. Greece, of course, but also Spain overwhelmed by the recession and unemployment could well benefit from this exemption the first inexpressible last month. Under "exceptional circumstances", validated by other EU countries.

The bet is that markets will accommodate this as an act of political realism and not as a confession of laxity on the euro. The big question remains of course France: its budget program is already extraordinary and rare are those who still believe she can hold the line, despite repeated assurances from President-elect.

The second exception to the rule of the game for the Relief Fund of the euro, too painstakingly negotiated treaty with Berlin. Again, this is Spain and its banks eroded by the recession that give cold sweats. The idea agitated in several capitals would authorize the "European Monetary Fund" to provide loans directly – that is to say unconditionally – Spanish banks. But this window open still faces opposition front of Angela Merkel.

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"Vote and go anyway!" Displays the travel agency Nouvelles Frontieres, "Vote by proxy and win a free night for two nights and get" diffuse the tourist office in Les Sables d'Olonne, "Voting is open its mouth but better "placards at all is a sign of fast food in ten different languages, while the ski resort of Chamrousse proposed his" ski pass citizen "and that the General Council of Essonne offered tickets to a rugby match to persons who have completed their duty to vote. In short, all the slogans that incentives, like ideas, no lack of originality in recent weeks. The objective is twofold: to reduce abstention but also generate additional revenue, or at least ride the wave of presidential elections.  

When the ballot becomes a ski day

The tourist office in Chamrousse (Isère) has understood that he had a vested interest in dragging this track one: "We decided to align the end of the ski season with the day of the first round of presidential elections , by implementing a package to a Euro on presentation of the electoral map duly stamped "says Medhi Kerbati, director of the tourist office. Obviously, he had to get up early to vote at a time and enjoy a sunny day of skiing. The Director welcomes further: "In 2007, we sold between 300 and 350 pass the same day, while on Sunday we have been almost 4,000 packages a day, including 2800 'skipass citizens'." Therefore a boon to the small station with 90 km tracks. It would be even one of the best days of the season.  

Discounts or freebies appreciated

In Roubaix (North), fast food Burger Food Familiy partnered with the association "Brigade civic action" to grant 10% discount for two rounds of elections, upon presentation of the electoral map stamped. The manager, Ahmed Meguedmi, was very satisfied with the effects of operation: "We found that customers who were not usually crossed our doors, especially young people, but our clientele is 80% family time normal. On April 22, traffic on our restaurants increased by 30-40% compared to other Sundays, "he says. An approach more citizen when one remembers that Roubaix had obtained the record abstention in the first round of regional elections in 2010, over 71%. In the first round of this year's presidential, abstention remained high at 31.43%.

In the wake of the fight against abstention, in Arles and Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhone), the taxi company and Co-bikes Taco has offered to the two rounds of elections free transport customers to their polling station. Was free from 8h to 13h, and the operation has been very positive as explained Aldric Monteux, co-manager of the company: "We were able to combine a citizen but also environmentally friendly, while trying to reduce the abstention. We have carried twenty, or forty trips. This was especially the elderly or people then cut transport, which would probably not displaced. "  

Campaigns sometimes left fallow

Another tourist office, that of Les Sables d'Olonne (Vendee), capitalized on an extended operation on the four weekends of presidential and legislative elections, of offering a third night for people who have established an attorney. In agreement with a dozen providers, the business case put forward here is quite as indicated Dixte Mathieu, marketing manager of the site of the tourist office: "We launched the operation on March 28 because not only the elections Presidential is a drag but tourism and more at this time we still see a drop in attendance of around 15-20%. It was a way to both promote our destination, and encourage people to vote. "  

The only cloud on the table: because of bad weather, the impact has been almost nil, although the website of the tourist office in question recorded an increase of nearly 17,000 visits over the same period (March 24 to 23 April) compared to last year. The operation, in turn, drained 1600 visits since the beginning of the operation.

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His basic model is a marine motif declined over a tank. But the bit of blue and white Little Marcel preferred the colored stripes printed on a black background on which lies the mark in writing schoolboy.

Imagined in a store of ready-to-wear Grau-du-Roi (Gard), this "Marcel" knows a great climb since its inception in 2005. Now available in 1,500 outlets across the Hexagon, the idea was originally that of a gift for his partner Eric Schieven Linda Leseigneur. A present that had not fatally destined to be reproduced on an industrial scale.

Owned by the couple creator, the company KLS, which operates Little Marcel, employs 45 people and develops, six years after its creation, a turnover "of about 20 million euros, up 20% the previous year, "says commercial director Michel Levy.  

The South, a laboratory

In recent years, the catalog has been enriched and Little Marcel did not remain a prisoner of style nautical wear "left (his) signature." Offering various reasons, always colorful, the brand gingham dresses, swimwear polka dot … Distributed only in stores ready-to-wear at a price of "25 to 35 euros per t-shirt," she wishes to open signs his name in seven cities on the Mediterranean coast and Atlantic to accelerate its development model. All without external capital. "Without the staff, the installation of a shop costs around 300,000 euros," says commercial director.

"The South is our laboratory, advance Michel Levy. The idea is to open stores in areas where we have a mind awareness. "Thus, Hossegor (Landes), Bandol (Var) or Palavas (Hérault) should see the arrival of a store Little Marcel by the summer. "We first want to show us where the season strong on our brands work best, that is to say, in fine weather."

Therefore seasonal stores, an area of ​​100 to 150 square meters, that KLS develop its own before running franchises. "Let's say that eventually a 50-50 mix is ​​a good balance." If the sign function, with an estimated turnover "at the beginning" of € 500,000 per store, "thirty stores are expected to emerge in both years. "

Installed to date on the fishing port of Le Grau du Roi, the warehouse in Little Marcel, whose textiles are machined in Portugal, is planning to move a few miles away in the town of Aigues-Mortes. Soon it will invest a storage center 4000 sqm, against just over 1000 today.

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SELNI, last French manufacturer of motors for washing machines, has just robbed a mega contract to one of its Chinese competitors. This firm, which currently employs 150 people, provide from the end of the year in Vestel, a Turkish specialist appliances, two million engines per year, and for ten years. "This is a contract of several hundred million euros, whereby we are doubling our production. In France today, we can compete with the Chinese, "says Philippe Vidal, CEO of SELNI.

SELNI, whose turnover is currently around 25 million euros, has managed to match Chinese prices, while offering products of superior quality. "Our responsiveness has also weighed in the balance. Our technical tool allows us to fill an order within 48 hours, against more than 6 weeks for the Chinese, who suffer from very long delivery times, "says the director.

Production in Turkey

However, the company based in Nevers comeback. Hard hit by the crisis of 2008-2009, she almost put the key under the door, before being taken up by several of its executives. Today she is back on track. "We have optimized our products as our organization. Engines, for example, have been lightened up. It has replaced some components in copper with aluminum, but harder to work cheaper. Internally, we developed the versatility of each, "says Philippe Duval.

This additional production does not necessarily translate provided by new hires. 800,000 engines for entry level to provide Vestel annually SELNI had to agree to perform in Turkey, 3 kilometers from his client. "We would not have been able to make these motors very cheap in France, and we reserve margin. This proximity allows us to provide just-in Vestel, explains Philippe Duval. We approach our customers as we did before the automakers. "

From 30 to 40 people will be employed in Turkey. "That leaves 1.2 million engines a year to produce more in Nevers."

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Subject to market pressure, the Spanish government is ready to break all taboos to address the public accounts of the country. Latest idea, unveiled Monday on a radio by the Minister of Economy, Luis de Guindos: as health care are no longer free for Spaniards earning over 100,000 euros per year. "The regions are responsible for health and education spending. Take into consideration that, in the case of health expenditure, we have accumulated a debt of 15 billion euros and that this can not happen again, "justified the Minister.

The reform is far from being seated. But the Conservative government of Mariano Rajoy has indeed decided to initiate discussions with local executives on this delicate subject. "The regions have to give up spending much of what they spend today," said the budget minister, Cristobal Montoro, in an interview in El Mundo. This can only go through cuts in health and education, two positions that absorb 60% of the budgets of the Spanish regions. Even weakened, the Socialist Party, however, give account of the voice, his number two Elena Valenciano, who said that the decline of these two budgets was a "red line".

British example

If the regions are on the spot like is that they are the cause of the slippage of the Spanish public deficit, which reached 8 guaranteed online personal loans.5% of GDP in 2011 instead of the 6% forecast. To reduce the deficit to 5.3% the government has unveiled a new austerity plan (down from departmental budgets, cuts tax loopholes etc..). But that was not enough to reassure markets. Hence this new trial balloon, that was just after the Minister of Economy assured in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Saturday that Spain will emerge from this crisis "without outside help."

The idea of ​​restricting the access of the wealthiest households in the social system is not new in Europe. The UK in 2013 will remove child benefit when parents earn over 88,000 pounds (106,000 euros). In France, however, no candidate provides such a measure. Health, successive governments have preferred to increase the share paid by all French. One solution that the Spanish Economy Minister determines not to be "a panacea".

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At two weeks of the presidential election, the president of the FNSEA – first agricultural union – fixed priorities of operators for the next five. Xavier Beulin first asks the next tenant of the Elysee to reopen "in July" folder of competition law applied to food.

An "emergency" he said, after the multiplication in recent weeks fines against players of Agriculture and Agri-Food: endiviers, millers, dairies and pig industry by the end of the year . "Since the withdrawal of government in regulating markets, supply chain organization is more necessary than ever. We want to know what he can do in competition within the European framework, "he says. A key issue to rebalance the bargaining power of thousands of often helpless in the face a mass distribution concentrated in five major buying groups.

One solution to this problem – the establishment of a "Small Business Act" as the United States, proposed by Nicolas Sarkozy during the 66th Congress of the FNSEA – was favored by Xavier Beulin. This system is to set aside a significant percentage of tenders to local products. "20% as already allowed the Minister of Agriculture is good but not enough." Francois Hollande proposed last week to double this.

Revalue pensions

Second request of the union: the harmonization of social and environmental standards at European level. "We propose a simple alignment with European standards and no more. France is an excess of zeal in which the disadvantage compared to its competitors, "says Xavier Beulin. This requires a relaxation of administrative permits, such as storing water in times of drought, energy recovery operations through photovoltaics, biogas, or solar energy.

The third priority concerns the pension increases. A petition of 80,000 signatories was brought to the HQ of the ten candidates in the presidential election for a rebalancing of pension for farmers. "It is necessary to upgrade the minimum pension at 75% of minimum wage and align the calculation of pensions over the last 25 years, not the entire career." Finally as regards the common agricultural policy, Xavier Beulin, welcomes the consensus that exists among the candidates, except Marine Le Pen, who advocates a return to French agricultural policy. "The face of French agriculture with 64% of opportunities are provided by Europe would not be the same without the CAP," he recalls.

While the leader of the FNSEA highlights the many positive points of the quinquennium ending, especially on agricultural G20, the various plans emergency aid and lowering labor costs with the social VAT, it does no voting instructions. Especially as the environmental aspect he was disappointed the results of the Grenelle Environment Forum.

He called to vote for either April 22? The union president called simply majority agricultural farmers to go to the polls en masse without giving an instruction to vote. "This has never been in the culture of the house," he concludes.

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A helicopter chartered by Total departed Aberdeen on Thursday at 10:35 local time (11:35 Paris) for an initial inspection of the gas leak on the platform Elgin, evacuated March 26. The operation had been delayed so far because of the east wind that beat down the cloud of gas to the landing deck. The winter-like conditions in the north of Scotland where snow whitened the countryside around Aberdeen since the beginning of the week does not facilitate the task.

After about an hour's flight, the helicopter had to land on the platform "PUQ", the residential area of ​​Elgin, 240 km east of Aberdeen in the North Sea. The eight men are to achieve the production platform of Elgin by a walkway 90 meters long. Among them, several employees of the Texas company Wild Well Control, which is illustrated in extinguishing oil wells in Kuwait after the Iraqi invasion of 1991 and during the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Specialists will inspect the wellhead from which escape G4 still about 200,000 m3 of gas per day and measure the pressure in the concentric rings that form the wells. Elgin on the platform, all electricity was cut and the flare died out for lack of gas to be burned. The team's visit remains risky, any heat source is likely to cause a gas explosion.

The reconnaissance team must prepare the ground for the operation of plugging the well. In the coming days or next week, ships carrying "sludge" draw near Elgin. These "sludge" in reality a mixture of fluids removed from wells, water and additives concocted to get a precise density, explains Andrew Hogg, director of communications "Exploration and Production" Total, will be injected into the wells in an attempt to "kill", and finally seal. Wild Well Control, this is an operation "standard," said the spokesman for Total, but with a specific difficulty in Elgin field: its high temperature and high pressure.

If this operation, called "top kill" in the jargon oil, fails, it will drill two wells bypass using two mobile platforms in transit. A job that can take six months, and admits Total cost at least $ 150 million per well, indicated Monday the Chevardière Patrick, CFO of the oil company.

The helicopter and its eight crew members must return to Aberdeen in the day, no question of taking the risk of leaking and a platform that all systems are off.

Happy who like Ulysses, has made a great trip, and then returned to live with his parents the rest of his age … This aspiration, a bit outdated, back up to date. For young Americans, the journey of initiation into life ends more often at home. They have gone to university, got out, they struggle to find work and even when they got their job, they are so indebted for their education they can not afford a roof. This is the "boomerang generation", as it is called there, one that returns to its starting point, in the family cocoon.

Three out of ten young adults 25 to 34 years lived at one time or another permanently with their parents in the United States since the beginning of the economic crisis of 2007, reveals the Pew Research Center. This body of socio-economic, non-partisan and hyperactive, which one would like there the equivalent in France and Europe, launched last December a survey of 2,048 adults. He points out that 51.4 million Americans now live in a "multigenerational family" (at least two generations of adults in the same dwelling). A record since the postwar period. The proportion of 25-34 year olds living with their parents, or sometimes with their grandparents, has doubled since 1980, as already shown by the decennial census of population conducted in 2010.

The problem also as much of Europe, although it is regrettable delays in our statistical system. "One in three men and five women living with their parents," according to the latest Eurostat survey dating back to 2008 and 51 million Europeans in this situation. Old Contains more distinguished by its diversity. In Italy, 47.7% of men 25 to 34 years remain in the family fold (and 32.7% women), against 2.8% and 0.5% in Denmark. While the Italians look fondly their "bamboccioni" (big babies), the Danes are doing everything to make them go away. "In Denmark, young people receive public assistance for their education and housing from 18. These scholarships are awarded regardless of parental resources: youth autonomy is considered a right, "says Olivier Galland, research director at CNRS.

For its part, France is among the Nordic model and that of southern Europe, where the crisis has amplified the tradition of bringing together several generations of adults. As part of the Eurostat survey, INSEE has identified "340,000 women and 630,000 men who live with at least one parent or step-parents, or 8% of women and 16% of men aged 25-34 years. "

In the U.S., the multigenerational family is experienced as a convenient answer to the economic crisis and unemployment. "If there was an alleged defect with living with his parents" when you have 25 to 34 years, "Today" boomerang generation "does not have this complex," says Kim Parker, Pew Research Center . For the vast majority (78%), they are satisfied with "the arrangement of their lifestyle." And besides the figures show that families where several generations are less affected by poverty than the rest of the population.

"Family accordion"

Sociologist Katherine Newman and university, recognized expert of "working poor" across the Atlantic, invented the concept of "family accordion": it inflates and deflates at the discretion of the business cycle. But one of the factors that penalize the hardest young adults today is debt-related educational expenses: average $ 27,200 for each graduate and 1000 billion total, according to Federal Reserve Bank of New York. A huge ball during periods of unemployment and wage moderation.

But beyond the explanation of economic and financial "boomerang generation" she expresses the most profound changes in society? In France, the phenomenon of "Tanguy", the name of this young 28 year old who can not leave the parental nest, was highlighted in 2001 in the film of Stephen Chatiliez. And last month, Jean Ormesson recalled with happiness (in the Figaroscope): "I lived with my parents until the age of 35" (at 95 rue du Bac, in Paris). The lifestyle of the Faubourg Saint-Germain and its charms are democratizing Proustian would be good news after all.

Across the Atlantic, the debate rages on the implications of this return to the patriarchal family. "The Go-Nowhere Generation" (which goes nowhere), accuses Todd Buschholz economist (former advisor to George Bush Sr.), and cite the decline in driving among young people and even falling sales Bicycle. Mobility is one of the strengths of mythic America.

Conversely, Professor Robert Shiller, an expert on real estate and finance, cites the example of old farming families that housed three generations on the same farm. This intergenerational solidarity daily should help us better understand and manage the practical problems of pensions. "Family, I love you" is a good slogan.