Posts Tagged ‘small’

Further increases in cigarette prices to

September 25, 2011 - 2:56 am Comments Off

It's already Christmas in the "civet"! The government has made on Friday, a nice gift for tobacconists. Their pay on each pack of cigarettes will increase from 6.5% to 6.9% of the selling price. This increase will begin in January 2012 and will be spread over five years, the duration of the new "future contract" signed between Valérie Pécresse, Minister of Budget and Pascal Montredon, president of the Confederation of tobacconists. This is in addition to various support measures for tobacco shops located near the border and in rural areas, estimated at 320 million euros.

The increase in compensation benefits, it at all tobacco shops alike. Paradoxical, because "the sale of tobacco as aids have allowed your average income increase by 57% between 2002 and 2010," as recalled by Valerie Pécresse to tobacconists, who held their annual conference in Paris Friday."In total, more than 1 billion euros that came with your support and profession, which has also benefited, for many of you, the effects of the reduction in VAT in catering."

"At least 10 cents more per pack"

In early 2003, a sharp rise in prices had collapsed sales and forced the closure of nearly 5,000 retailers. There remains 28,000. But since 2004, the price increase regular, moderate (6% per year since 2009) did not in fact impact on the number of cigarettes sold in tobacconists, to the dismay of supporters of tobacco control and Department of Health. As a result, sales of tobacco outlets rose year after year at the rate of inflation of cigarettes for their benefit as for that of tobacco, and especially of the state, who pocketed 80% of price of a pack, which brings in each year over 10 billion euros Business Card Holders.

While the additional gift to tobacconists would have no direct impact on government accounts. In all likelihood, the increase will be offset in compensation not to lower fees charged by Bercy, which closely monitors its accounts, but rather by a decrease in compensation of the tobacco industry, as was the case in the previous contract for the future.

To the extent that tobacco companies have no intention of making less money, they will offset the decline in their pay on each packet by an increase in their prices. "To erase an annual decline of 0.1% of our earnings should be increased by at least 10 cents the price of a package," says one manufacturer. "It's a vicious cycle that will strengthen the cause of the difficulties of cross-border tobacco shops," adds another.

Tobacco companies can increase their prices at the beginning of each quarter.Their next rate adjustment will occur not necessarily next January, to the extent that prices will rise by 6% already on Monday, October 17 or 10, as decided by the government. The pack of Marlboro will then 5.90 to 6.20 euros.

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Recovery, precision: United States and Europe differ

September 11, 2011 - 2:44 pm Comments Off

Pressure on Europe. Even before the G7, which met Friday night in Marseille finance ministers and central bank governors of the G7 (U.S., Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, UK), Christine Lagarde urged leaders of the Old Continent to "act now and boldly."

Executive Director of the IMF did not hesitate to dramatize the situation. "The world economy is in a period fraught with danger," she said in London, alongside the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, before flying to Marseille.She reiterated her concerns vis-à-vis European banks: "Faced with the rising risks and uncertainties and the need to convince the markets, some need to strengthen their capital." We explained to the IMF and the European economies are funded for three quarters by banks and only a quarter through the markets (the opposite in the U.S.) and are highly dependent on the health of their banking system.

Old friend of Christine Lagarde, the U.S. Treasury Secretary has also multiplied the statements at the Europeans. In an article in the Financial Times, Timothy Geithner asked "an unequivocal commitment to support the European financial system and ensure that states can borrow at interest rates as they adopt sustainable reforms."Then, Friday afternoon, he returned to the charge, live from the Old Port with Bloomberg TV in the rooms was sending a market enchanting image: "It is very important for the world that the Europeans do the right thing , he said. It is in the interest of the United States that the euro will survive. "

Tensions

The G7 meeting ended, Friday night, for a press conference Baroin, who chaired the proceedings. The central bankers have published "terms of reference" that mark a commitment to "strong" and "coordinated," said Baroin, on four themes: the challenges of the global economy, the balance between fiscal consolidation and recovery, pursuing monetary policies that allow banks to supply the necessary liquidity, and the reform of financial regulation.

The responses of the G7 remains limited.The possibility of an announcement of coordinated central bank for monetary policy even more generous seems unlikely, "I do not think we will see that," Geithner acknowledged. The IMF, whose services are exposed to a new state G7 encrypted in the world economy, called for a stimulus modulated, depending on the situation of each country, welcoming the passage the Obama plan for employment (see below below).

But Germany, the only G7 country whose public finances could provide room to maneuver, had refused in advance: "Combating the crisis with a debt even more pronounced, it would be the wrong path to take," said Wolfgang Schäuble, his finance minister. But that's another German who fed the conversations, Jürgen Stark, the chief economist of the ECB, resigned.

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New black day for the ACC losing more than 4.7%

September 5, 2011 - 9:24 pm Comments Off

The CAC 40 plunges into the red Monday. The benchmark index of the Paris Stock Exchange, which closed Friday on the day of a severe fall of 3.6%, falling more than 4.73% to close below 3000 points to 2999.54 points, after a opened down 2.41% to 3072.51 points. The movement is the same in the rest of Europe in London, the FTSE-100 index lost 3.58%, in Frankfurt the Dax was down 3.94%. Madrid and Milan unleash respectively 3.38% and 3.97%.

The health of European banks up to the center of attention. The President of the French Banking Federation (FBF), François Perol, recognizes this Monday, in an interview with Les Echos, that if "bank liquidity in euro is not a problem," "the dollar is more refinancing tense. "Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, in turn repeats, in an interview published Monday in Germany, criticized the request of a European bank recapitalization. "We think in general it is necessary to recapitalize European banks so that they are strong enough to withstand the risks associated with the debt crisis and low growth," she told the weekly Der Spiegel.

The chief executive of Deutsche Bank, Josef Ackermann, in turn, poured oil on the fire by saying that some European banks would not survive if they were to reassess the sovereign debt of their accounts at market price.Recapitalization forced the European banking sector could in turn send the wrong signal to markets, in this case the loss of faith on the part of authorities in the ability of measures to succeed, however, said Josef Ackermann .

Societe Generale lost 8.75% to 20.25 euros (largest decrease in the ACC). The bank is also penalized by the U.S. federal agency oversight of mortgage that has filed a complaint Friday against 17 major international financial institutions which include the French bank, for a total loss of $ 41 billion in bonds linked to subprime .

In its wake, BNP Paribas lost 7.33% to 30.97 euros, Crédit Agricole 6.22% to 5.80 euros and 4.85% at Axa 10.01 euros. Natixis lost 5.05% to 2.57 euros.The aerospace equipment Safran (-2.78% to 26.25 euros) will make its entry into the CAC 40 index, while the bank Natixis is about to leave, said Friday the Scientific Council of the indices of NYSE Euronext. The changes take effect Sept. 19.

Bad signals on growth

In addition to banking problems, the first global economy has fueled fears of a global slowdown by announcing Friday it had no jobs created in August. Following this announcement, Wall Street closed on a sharp drop of more than 2%. U.S. markets will do on Monday with European stock any procedure they will remain closed for Labor Day (Labor Day observed every first Monday of September)."Wall Street remains closed doors, it seems unlikely that operators take the slightest risk," said Chris Weston, an analyst at IG Markets.

In China, HSBC index of purchasing managers in the Chinese sector services slowed to an unprecedented low in August. Seasonally adjusted and calculated by the Institute Markit, it fell to 50.6 after 53.5 in July

No other indicator may move the indices are expected on Monday. One highlight of the week will be the release of the Beige Book Fed on Wednesday night, which will be the summary of economic conditions in regions in the United States payday loans direct lenders.

No recession expected in Europe

The side of the euro area, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, has tried to reassure investors.Traveling in Australia, he said that the European economy would experience in the coming months a "moderate growth" without going into recession. "We do not anticipate a recession in Europe. The latest forecasts from the European Commission show that the growth will be at the meeting, although this growth will be moderate, it is true, "he said in Sydney.

Markit, the company that carries out the PMI, however, said on Monday that growth in private activity in the euro area slowed more than expected in August, falling to its lowest level in two years, reinforcing fears of a return to recession by the end of 2011. The composite index, which summarizes the activity in the service sector and manufacturing fell to 50.7 points against 51.1 points in July, according to a second estimate.

For his part, Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank said it is "imperative" to implement the decisions taken by Heads of State and Government of the euro zone in July to resolve the debt crisis.

The euro fell to 1.4127 dollars, its lowest level in three weeks. For their part, oil prices were down in electronic trading in Asia, depressed by the poor figures on employment in the United States. A barrel of "light sweet crude" for delivery in October lost 59 cents to 85.86 dollars per barrel of Brent North Sea crude for October delivery 74 cents to 111.59 dollars.Saft takes off

EDF: -2.77% to 20.37 euros

The Italian Minister of Industry, Paolo Romani, said Sunday he would meet Monday Proglio about the power company Edison.

ArcelorMittal: -4.67% to 13.46 euros

Peabody Energy and ArcelorMittal announced Monday it had extended until September 27, the period during which the short bid for $ 5 billion (3.53 billion euros) on the Australian Macarthur Coal.

Zodiac: -1.94% to 54.05 euros

The group said it had completed the acquisition of the American Heath Tecna and have reached an agreement with its banks to raise 300 million euros the amount of an existing credit line.

Schneider Electric: -6.01% to 41.35 euros

The French government intervened with the company to freeze a plan for the removal of one.000 temporary positions, the daily Liberation in its Monday edition, but the group has firmly denied to AFP such a plan.

Saft: 4.81% to 22.87 euros (largest increase in the SBF 120)

The American automotive supplier Johnson Controls will pay $ 145 million (102 million euros) to the French specialist in batteries as part of an amicable agreement ending their joint venture in the automotive industry, announced Friday the two groups in a joint statement.

Alstom: -5.16% to 29.21 euros

The group signed a 66 million euros with Iraq to build a power plant in the province of Nineveh in the north, said the Iraqi Minister of Electricity.

France Telecom: -1.67% to 12.36 euros

TPSA its Polish subsidiary has announced to contest the fine of 128 million euros that inflicted the European Commission.

After market, environment and Dried Assystem unveil their first-half results.

Crisis: the proposals of Aubry and Royal

August 14, 2011 - 7:32 pm Comments Off

• The observation

Martine Aubry. "France is suffering from a triple deficit," the public finances, employment, and competitiveness, it says in the Journal du Dimanche (JDD). Two thirds of the deficits are due to the policies of Nicolas Sarkozy, she said, based on a report of the Court of Auditors.

Ségolène Royal. "It's not just a financial crisis but a crisis of civilization," suggests the president of the Poitou-Charentes in an interview with Le Parisien-Aujourd'hui en France. She said "the level of life and employment" are threatened.

• Debt

Aubry. You should immediately "remove 10 billion euros of tax loopholes" as mayor of Lille. It promises to allocate 50% of the financial benefit generated by this measure and the resumption of growth to reduce deficits, echoing a measure explicitly listed in the program of the PS.It is opposed by contrast to the golden rule, namely fixed in the Constitution the principle of balance of public finances.

Royal. "I move that the expenses are secured by new savings." It accuses Nicolas Sarkozy had "doubled the deficit" in part because of "tax breaks to large fortunes".

• Taxes

Aubry. "To boost growth, [should] drop to 20% corporate tax (IS) that reinvest" and penalize those who prefer dividends by increasing the SI to 40%.

Royal. She wants the Estates General on the reform of tax and tax. Then "a referendum to stabilize the rules for five years fast cash online." It also intends to "fight against injustice and tax fraud."

• Employment

Aubry. The candidate wants to eliminate tax benefits related to overtime "that block the hiring."She wants to allocate 50% of future budgetary scope to "investment for the future", that is to say much to use.

Royal. It does not mention once the words "employment" and "unemployment" in the interview to Paris to denounce the current situation. Without advancing a proposal on the subject.

• Finance

Aubry. "It is time to take up the policies on finance," she proclaims. She wants to create an independent rating agency and a financial transaction tax of 0.05% in Europe. What to report 200 billion euros a year, she said.

Royal. It offers "the entry of the state capital of banks that are helped," and wants "to prohibit speculation in government debt." It ensures that in countries where the banking system is controlled by the state, "growth is the appointment."

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China criticizes loud and the United States

August 6, 2011 - 11:12 pm Comments Off

The era of good times is over. China, which for years received lessons in economic policy by the United States, primarily relating to foreign exchange, takes revenge. While S & P has to sacrifice the triple A of the United States, Beijing, the largest holder of U.S. bonds in the world – by far, with 1,160 billion of U.S. Treasuries in the drawers according to figures from Washington published last May – now estimated to have "every right to require U.S. to address their structural problems of debt."

The Chinese government estimates that S & P has only confirmed a "horrible truth". One that was highlighted by the rating agency Dagong China, which has degraded the U.S. triple-A immediately after the agreement to raise the debt ceiling.She said "the days of Uncle Sam, crippled with debt, could easily squander endless amounts of borrowing from abroad seem numbered. (…) In order to treat his addiction to debt, the U.S. must restore the principle of common sense that we must live within its means. " For Dagong, the note of the United States increased from A + to A with, again, a negative outlook. According to the official Xinhua news agency, the adoption by Congress of a text to avoid a default of the United States failed to defuse "the bomb of debt." This failure to control U.S. borrowing could affect the "well-being of hundreds of millions of families in the United States and abroad," she lamented a few days ago.

In other countries, tempers

In France, Baroin, Minister of Economy, trying to reassure.First European official to respond to the thunder of the deterioration in the sovereign rating of the debt of the United States, he ensured that France "has full confidence in the strength of the U.S. economy and its fundamentals, and in the U.S. government's determination to implement the plan that was approved by Congress this week. "

Japan, the second creditor of the United States, said that its policy of buying U.S. bonds remained unchanged despite lowering their score. "Our confidence in U.S. Treasuries and their attractiveness as an investment will not change because of this action," said a Japanese government official told Dow Jones Newswires.Japan, which is trying by all means to curb a flight of its currency against the greenback, has no interest in selling its dollar assets for now since it would only strengthen the yen.

In South Korea, senior officials of the Ministry of Finance held an emergency meeting Saturday to analyze the consequences of the downgrade. But the government has warned against overreaction. "We need not be too worried about our economy and financial markets," said Deputy Finance Minister Yim Jong-yong. An Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has also called for calm markets. "At the same time, the other two major agencies, Moody's and Fitch continue to note the U.S. economy AAA. So I think people need to consider all the facts, "she said.In the Philippines, a spokesman for the Presidency said that the downgrade by S & P was "to some extent a wakeup call for the U.S. begin to seriously address their economic problems. We have confidence in their ability to do so. "

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Wall Street relapse, despite the agreement on debt

August 2, 2011 - 12:48 am Comments Off

International equity markets, Asia and Europe have already received the news by frank morning hikes. The main interest, Wall Street opens therefore no surprise to any one as beautiful flight. Picking colors after yielding over 4% last week, which will remain the worst of the year, the Dow began the week up 1.10% at 12,277 points. Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100 rose in turn respectively from 0.86% to 1303 points and 2785 points to 1.05%.

It is in extremis, on the night of Sunday, which is reached an agreement on raising the ceiling of U.S. debt, after a speech critical of President Barack Obama.Two days before the deadline set by the U.S. Treasury, the stakes were high: without this increase, at least 2.1 trillion dollars, the United States, on the edge of default, could sow the wind panic on financial markets.

Barack Obama has managed to generate compelling reconciliation of Democrats and Republicans on this agreement, investors now hope to see a bill passed in the coming days. A condition that Congress gives the green light, no later than Tuesday night.

No one knows for how to react, however, the rating agencies. Despite the compromise finally reached on the debt, the loss by the United States, their AAA rating is not excluded and would have severe repercussions on the economy and markets.

Meanwhile, oil prices rose sharply, driven by the announcement of the agreement.On the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), a barrel of "light sweet crude" for September delivery was trading at 98.18 dollars, up 2.48 dollars compared to the previous day.

Industrial activity and construction spending

At the macroeconomic agenda of the first Monday of August, the ISM manufacturing index for July will be announced (expected at 54.4 according to a consensus of analysts), together with expenses building for the month of June (+0.1% expected).

This week, analysts said Aurel BGC, "investors will focus on indicators confirming whether a rebound in growth. In view of the latest indicators movement is far from certain. Surveys of business advocate for a regional downturn in the ISM manufacturing index for July, which will be released today.Auto sales (Tuesday) and retail sales side of Wall Street in July will also be eagerly awaited. Finally, this weekend, the employment figures will be released by the BLS. They will be very affected by the lay-off of 20,000 staff in the State of Minnesota. "

73% of companies did better than expected

The European steelmaker ArcelorMittal and U.S. mining company Peabody Energy (0.73% to 57.89 dollars) on Monday made a hostile bid on the Australian Macarthur about 4.7 billion Australian (about 3, 6 billion euros), after the failure of talks to reach an amicable agreement.The board of Australian mining group declined Monday to support the joint bid from ArcelorMittal and Peabody to 15.50 dollars per share.

The title of the American manufacturer Ford (2.54% to 12.52 dollars) could take 25% as the group reduced its debt, is launching new models and trying to expand in China and India where he remained late over its competitors, said Monday the magazine Barron's.

Shares of online retail Amazon.com (1.75% to 226.41 dollars), which is just below its record high, could earn 10% to 25% if the investment result rapid growth of its retail operations, cloud-computing and Kindle reading light, said Monday the magazine Barron's.

The railway company of the UAE, Etihad Rail, said Monday it has ordered seven locomotives Electro-Motive Diesel, a subsidiary of U.S. manufacturer of construction equipment Caterpillar (2.36% to 101.13 dollars).

On the corporate side, after Merck (+0.03% to 34.10 dollars) and Chevron (1.57% to 105.67 dollars), which published its quarterly results Friday, the ball of publications in the U.S. coming to an end. Nearly 65% ​​of companies have indeed published their findings in the U.S. and 73% reported earnings above expectations.

Among the publications planned the first week of August, include those closely watched CBS, Cephalon, and Pfizer (Tuesday). Will be followed by Comcast, Time Warner and Mastercard (Wednesday). Then, Kraft Foods (Thursday), Procter & Gamble and Viacom (Friday).

"M6 is in an offensive investment"

July 28, 2011 - 6:40 am Comments Off

The private broadcasting group said Wednesday a drop of 3% of its turnover.

LE FIGARO. – How do you explain the 5.3% increase in advertising revenues from M6?

Nicolas de Tavernost. – The group is in a virtuous circle: the one who is to invest in programs to improve the quality of our offer to all our channels (M6, W9, Teva, Paris Première …) and therefore grow our audience and thus make our chain essential to advertisers. In a pub in the TV market declining by almost 100 million euros over the last four years we have increased our advertising revenue (3.1%) of 13 million. In the first half of 2011, the market is stable and the group realizes M6 6.2% growth reaching a market share of over 24%.This reflects our audience ratings: M6 is thus the only channel history to have increased this year to 10.5% audience share. If the duration pub fell slightly, however, we have increased our prices by 11%, in parallel with our audiences.

In 2010 you announced an increase in the cost grid of your chains. This strategy will continue?

We announced an increase in the cost of grid M6 5% in 2011, which remains our forecast. The first half of the increase is 2.3% and very fine programs are planned for the autumn. Similarly, the cost of grid W9 increased significantly over the past two years. It's a winning strategy: M6 was regularly leading the Friday night during the first half and also became the program Monday night with his hit "Love is in the field."We are pleased to have won 400,000 viewers in two years on our JT "The 19.45", gather 3 to 4 million ahead of "Scenes from" and to reach 6.3 million, as last Monday with "The Love is in the meadow. " We are not in a logic of cost reduction but in an offensive position in the investment programs.

You have experienced performance-cons as "X-Factor" and now the series "Soda" ….

X-Factor is a disappointment all the greater as we do not fully understand the failure of the program while at the same time, the program was aired in Belgium very well. As for Soda is a summer program of fiction for young people and, from this point of view, the program fulfills its mission. What matters for a program schedule is a recurrence of his success is created through well established brands.This is the case for the M6.

Diversification of your revenues are falling. These activities need to be restructured?

Our group is based on two pillars: the main advertising, which exceeded the level of pre-2008 crisis, and diversification, which have been in 2009 support our business. There is no going back on that balance online payday advance. Although profitability for some of them is less, the diversification continue to earn money including distance selling. In addition, our business grew strongly and our Internet subsidiary Interactions (music licensing) has redeployed well. For its part, the department Audiovisual Rights, a slight decrease in H1, is subject to the seasonality of film releases. It remains the Girondins, who have experienced difficulties.We reduced payroll accordingly and we hope the new stadium will allow us to Bordeaux, in the medium term to increase our own resources over TV rights.

Your cash flow reached 282 million euros. Will you invest?

We are waiting arms at the opportunities to continue to grow in television. For this, there should have sales or clearances that are proposed and data. We are also ready to develop in the production.

TF1 has requested the passage of LCI free. Do you react?

We had anticipated this possibility since, as of May 28, we seize the Higher Audiovisual Council to say that if the spectrum allocation rules changed, we would be interested in getting free in Paris Première.So far, law enforcement had not anticipated the transition from free to fee. If the doctrine changes, and if, as it seems, the essential criterion of fluidity between paid and free was the diversity and quality of programs, then our chain would be the solution. Unlike the info where several channels exist, Paris Première, with its public + CSP, is actually a complementary, not equivalent free chain and a living creation. We are ready to make commitments to it. Pending the response of the CSA, we concluded a new agreement with CanalSat not to mortgage the future of our channels.

Have you changed your position on the launch of new channels on DTT?

Not at all. Should there be new, we would not be the worst placed to succeed. But we ask for consistency.The market is crowded in France and is not elastic in advertising. Also, reduce the costs of existing channels to create new sense to me! It would therefore be wise to take a break. This would allow players to improve the quality of their program offerings (more original programming and fewer reruns) – that ask the French – their digital services (TV catch-up …) and dissemination (HD …). This would also be the best way to resist the arrival of television connected. Ultimately, our position is simple: a break in the creation of channels may be useful, but if it was not the choice of government, the M6 ​​has rights to assert and skills, proven to enhance .

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The euro falls, a Greek default is "increasingly likely"

July 13, 2011 - 1:16 am Comments Off

Pierre-Antoine Dusoulier, the head of Saxo Bank

Solar Impulse will be a second product in Switzerland

June 26, 2011 - 6:00 pm Comments Off

Nearly 150 tail. Visitors to the Paris Air Show crowd to reach a huge tent, mounted at the end of the area dedicated to the 150 aircraft on static display. The tent is home to the Solar Impulse, the solar airplane pilot Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg. It is the guest of honor at Le Bourget. The aircraft, powered by the energy collected by solar cells that dress, fascinates the public. The bird-dragon has a funny look with its size equal to that of an Airbus A 340, light weight (1.6 tons), its four propeller engines of 10 horsepower each, the power of a scooter and its narrow cockpit. André Borschberg spent sixteen hours to bring the Solar Impulse from Brussels to Paris on June 14. Since the device did not fly, rain and especially wind thwarted the schedule of demonstrations.With the return of calm and sunny, the Solar Impulse could fly this weekend. "It was important to return at the Bourget six years after the first presentation of the project partners – Solvay, Deutsche Bank, Omega and Schindler," says the duo.

Total Call

We are far from the early 2000s, when Bertrand Piccard was looking for funding – 100 million Swiss francs – to launch the project after the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne was funded and entrusted to André Borschberg the first feasibility study. But the duo sticks to the motto of Jules Verne: "All that is impossible to follow."

In 2004, Dassault Aviation hear about the project. The aircraft manufacturer will not money but the brains of its best engineers to the project, becoming the "manufacturer's advice.""Dassault was the guardian of the real aircraft," says Bertrand Piccard.

Today, the project entered a new phase. The assembly of the second device begins next week in Duebendorf, near Zurich. "It looks like the first by its general shape and appearance. Its scale will be greater, between that of A 380 and B 747-8. It benefits from technological advances, a new engine, a different type of solar cells, "says André Borschberg.This engineer, former fighter pilot and businessman, pilot of Solar Impulse, alternating with Bertrand Piccard, a psychiatrist by training, aeronaut – he managed a tour of the world by balloon in 1999 – and a descendant of a pioneer family in the air and under the sea

Solar Impulse with the second, they hope to make long flights in stages over four to five days in a row, with the ultimate goal of a successful world tour "without fossil fuel or pollution." "The world is full of big problems that are costly and discourage," said tandem. "Aviation can provide innovative solutions by showing that renewable energy is possible. They are a source of diversification for the oil and future growth, "Bertrand Piccard is developing. The Solar Impulse is "the best vehicle for that message."The recent acquisition by Total of Sun Power, the California company that produces solar panels of the Solar Impulse, "is a good sign," said he calling Total to partner.

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France has already exhausted its supply of fish

June 14, 2011 - 3:48 pm Comments Off

From this Tuesday, June 14, the fish will be on the shelves of foreign origin. In any case, this says a study published by the NGO OCEAN2012 and Nef (new economics foundation). Dubbed "the EU's growing dependence compared with fish from elsewhere," the survey said that from Tuesday, "We go fishing for fish other" because the reserves in the waters of the European Union are exhausted . For the Hexagon, "the date of self-sufficiency in marine products now comes six weeks earlier than in 2000." Without aquaculture, France even become dependent upon May 7

The country is obviously not the only one to get his fish outside EU waters. Further, where the fisheries sector is less developed, starting much earlier. This is the case of Austria, an enclave in the mountains, has to import from January 15, or of Germany (April 27)."It is surprising to note that this is also the case in some Member States with access to substantial EU marine waters, including Portugal (April 26), Italy (April 30), Spain ( May 8), "says the report.

Overall, the rate of self-sufficiency of the French following a downward trend common to all 27 EU countries. The average date on which member countries must import is currently July 2. "Last year was July 9, this indicates a decline of fishery resources in the EU of about 200,000 tons in twelve months," adds the study.

"We play with the future of stocks"

The French situation is, however, made more remarkable by the boom in demand for fish.The French consume twice as effects of seafood (34.2 kilograms per person per year) than the global average (17.1 pounds) according to 2008 figures from FAO and Eurostat, cited by study. The EU average stands at 22.1 pounds. "By eating more fish than the waters of the EU can not produce, we play with the future of fish stocks and communities dependent on fishing. We are risking the jobs and livelihoods, both within the EU and beyond, "says Rupert Crilly, co-author of the report no faxing payday loan.

"Fish stocks are a renewable resource. Yet, according to figures from the European Commission, we draw the fish faster than the stocks are able to rebuild, "says the study.The conclusion is clear: "In the EU, most of overexploited fish stocks is valued and many of them face a high risk of exhaustion."

Reforming the CFP

How then to match the ever increasing demand for and supply of fish within the EU? For the authors of the study, the answer is in the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). This must be reformed next year for an application to January 1, 2013. To put the stocks in good condition, OCEAN2012 therefore demands a review of access rights to resources for each country. "We should set up an evaluation grid with criteria such as environmental impact on the capture of juveniles, on the release of CO2, illegal catches," said Stephan Beaucher policy adviser for fishing OCEAN2012 and co-author of the study."The criteria are also social because 100 tonnes of fish can provide 15 permanent jobs." Based on this grid, a bonus-malus loaded weight of the fishing rights for the member countries would be established.

While waiting to present his ideas to the European Commission, the NGO has read the first draft of reform. It includes bans on ocean dumping, an objective of maximum sustainable yield by 2015 expected to provide only the surplus fishing stocks and the introduction of individual transferable fishing quotas between countries."We must focus on environmental sustainability but the Commission refuses to make this a priority," says Stephan Beaucher which provides that "power relations are being put in place and it'll be hot."

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