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It's now official, EDF has announced a delay for the EPR Flamanville, in the Channel. Delaying the start date of the reactor is two years "the goal of the first marketable production is now set to 2014," says management.

And the cost of construction is "re-estimated at around five billion euros," confirms the group. So far, the construction of 3rd generation reactor was estimated at four billion euros.

According to Jack Tord, coordinator CGT on the site, this would involve additional time to recruit more staff on site.The staff, already brought to 3,000 employees, "should reach 3500 to the end of the year or early next year," said he.

The management of EDF had implicitly recognized in November 2009 after a delay of one year, distinguishing between the engine start, in 2012, and "production of electricity sold, set up in 2013.

A delay not surprising

Delays in the EPR Flamanville are regularly mentioned in the press. In January, Le Figaro and Les Echos mentioned already "at least two years late" for a cost of 5 billion euros.Thursday, Le Monde and Le Parisien also evoked a start in 2014, against 2012 under the original schedule.

CGT refers to EDF for several months delay of this order, the Paris-based delegates arguing two years late and those of construction Flamanville a year and a half.

Credibility of the EPR

In a report released Tuesday by the Elysee Palace, the former boss of EDF Francois Roussely called to urgently establish a "priority action plan" to "ensure the construction of the nuclear Flamanville 3 in the best conditions cost and time.

Objective, preserve the credibility of the maximum EPR model and "the ability of the French nuclear industry to achieve new power plants were built, after the difficulties encountered on the Olkiluoto site in Finland and that of the third installment of Flamanville.

Construction of the EPR at Olkiluoto in Finland, led by the Areva group, accuses the four years behind its original schedule, with a reactor startup scheduled for late 2012 or early 2013.

Areva has spent 2.7 billion euros of provisions in its accounts for the site, while the cost of the EPR was initially estimated at 3 billion euros.

ABC News – Where is the bill that protects the personal assets of individual entrepreneurs?

Herve Novelli – The decrees of applications of this law appear before the end of the year for implementation status as of 1 January 2011. We will do everything to create a sole proprietorship with limited liability (EIRL) is simple. It is possible to create an online EIRL site counter-entreprises.fr. I also implemented a feature that allows the entrepreneur to avoid having to give a personal guarantee to the bank when he wants to borrow money, this financial product will be managed by OSEO will guarantee up to 70% maximum loan granted by the bank.

Banks are hostile to the creation of a sole proprietorship to limited liability.How to convince?

Banks must be with contractors, as the state has to be by their side when they needed it. I will ask the banks in September to explain the importance of this reform on 1.5 million individual entrepreneurs. I do not want there to be ruined because of artisans of a bankruptcy professional.

This Order is being signed and will include officials from exercising a complementary service activities to the person.

The study group set up with the budget minister working for the simplicity of the status of self-contractor be extended to 1.5 million self-employed. The aim is that the deadlines for payroll taxes are more in line with sales receipts.It is better to consider the impacts on cash social security contributions, especially when the turnover decreased quick pay day loan. The working group will issue its findings in late September.

I signed on July 28 financing agreements on the training of entrepreneurs with self-insurance fund training. The State will fund this year to the tune of 5 million euros.

Protecting consumers, as business support is essential to revitalize our economy. I decided three types of operation for this semester. The administration of fraud prevention is better control of online commerce sites that are becoming more numerous. It has created 17,000 sites trade thanks to the status of self-contractor. 24 million French people use them, and nearly one in two French selects his holiday on the internet.I will start early September also strengthened controls to enforce the rights of students who rent rooms and furnished and are sometimes subject to unfair terms. Finally, I want to limit the accidents of everyday life that are still too many in connection with the Consumer Safety Commission mandated that I have on this

After several months of negotiations between MEDEF and consumer associations, we have reached an agreement on the protection of personal digital data. Consumers who buy a product on the Internet should give their consent for their personal information is transmitted to other sites. They will oppose it easier to use their personal data for commercial purposes.

Technip has published today the results down in the second quarter of 2010. Turnover amounted to 1.485 billion euros, down 14.3% as reported from the second quarter of 2009 (18.4% excluding currency effects). Net profit reached 106 million euros, or 8.7% less than last year over the same period. The operating margin was also reduced: it reached 10.8% against 11.3% in the second quarter in 2009.

The specialist oil services records, however, a sharp increase in orders. The order backlog amounted to 8.263 million euros. In the second quarter, order intake was EUR 1.524 million, "almost evenly divided between the segments and Subsea Onshore / Offshore, against 873 million in the second quarter of 2009, bouncing about 74%.The group hopes that the resumption of orders in the Norwegian part will continue and believes that the Brazilian market remains "promising" No fax cash advance.

Work continues

Technip therefore maintains its objectives for the year. The company expects a turnover of between 5.9 and 6.1 billion euros (2.6 to 2,700,000,000 in subsea). The expected operating margin should exceed 15%.

Regarding the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the company said that "at this stage, [its] operations were not affected in 2010 but the new orders could be delayed in the short term."In the longer term we believe that operators prefer to work with contractors who have maintained a constant effort to invest in security," the group added, stressing that it is a central element of its strategy .

This is the most reassuring news announced by the U.S. authorities for more than two months. According to Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen American to oversee cleanup operations in the Gulf of Mexico, BP should be able to contain 100% the gap in the well from which oil flows to by Monday. A new funnel, bigger than previous ones, is currently installed by the British oil.

This funnel, called "Top Hat Number 10", should recover up to 80,000 barrels of oil per day (12.7 million liters), against 25,000 now. The authorities are optimistic that based on their assessments, the well lost more than 60,000 barrels per day. The previous dome will be first removed. A large quantity of oil escape so well for 48 hours.But once the new funnel posed, the results will be immediate, promises Thad Allen.

Since April 20, the day of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon platform off the coast of Louisiana, BP has increased its attempts to clogging, all unsuccessful.

No stop before August

BP was more cautious in its forecasts. Bob Dudley, responsible for managing the disaster, spoke of another scenario where difficulties in installing the new funnel could delay the time from Monday to Thursday.

But authorities are confident: "We have the climate we need," said Thad Allen. The admiral, however, required to calm the enthusiasm that followed the announcement. "I used the word 'contain' and not 'stop'," he commented. According to him, the well would not be closed as well as two-pass will not be completed.These wells, dug deep to inject cement and mud, should not be installed until mid-August. Once the leak stopped, the extensive cleaning and restoration of the ratings will continue.

Anadarko does not pay

On this last point, BP was again struck Friday denied Anadarko Petroleum. The company, which owns 25% of wells responsible for the spill, said she would not pay the $ 272 million that BP is asking her to cover their share of cleanup costs, according to U.S. law known pollution.

On June 18, the tension was raised a notch between the two partners lorsqu'Anadarko stated that the explosion of April 20 on the platform Deepwater Horizon, "was preventable and was a direct result of decisions and actions BP unthinking.

In another e-mail sent Friday, a spokesman for Anadarko, John Christiansen, however, felt that his group remained "committed to working in good faith with BP to reach a satisfactory resolution."

BP is now awaiting the response of Mitsui, which owns 10% of the wells. The British oil giant is claiming $ 112 million for cleanup costs. The company has not yet made its position.

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The controversy swells daily. After the Europeans, it is now the boss of General Electric to accuse China of putting a spoke in the wheels of foreign companies. "I'm really worried, I am not sure that ultimately they want that we will succeed," he complained to an audience of businessmen from Italy, reported the Financial Times on Friday.

Last Tuesday was a report of the European Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, which accused China to increase the discriminatory measures. He denounced a "discretionary application of laws and regulations, the registration process unnecessarily complicated and" inconsistencies in the application of national criteria.

In Beijing, many business leaders say the word to cover: it is increasingly difficult to work in China."They understand that they can leave if they are not happy," says a corporate lawyer. Since April, the party newspaper, the China Daily, had sniffed the wind of revolt and was almost threatening."When foreign companies encounter difficulties in their projects (…) if they do nothing but complain that the foreign media and amplify the case without analyzing the merits and slandering the Chinese economy, they will end up delaying the process of improving the investment environment, "he wrote.

Funny way to appease the spirits when President Hu Jintao says it wants to "take concrete steps to reject any form of protectionism and unequivocal support free trade."

The World Trade Organization said in its latest report "Interest in China and its foreign suppliers of more rapid liberalization of China's service industries.But Beijing, which, in a gesture of goodwill, will leave July 15 rebates for export taxes on certain sensitive products, prefer to believe that foreigners "grunt" on account of wages.

Rising labor costs

Demonstration of support to employees of Foxconn, Hong Kong in June Photo credits: AFP

"Re-enchantment of the hypermarket." Of the seven projects announced just last year by Lars Olofsson, Executive Director of Carrefour, the biggest boost to sales in hypermarkets, particularly the larger ones, whose attendance continues to decline in France.

Tests are carried out recently in a handful of stores in Belgium, Spain and Chambourcy, near Paris. But in Rhone-Alps that focuses the bulk of the efforts of the distributor réattirer customers and make them spend. The group also planned to hold its investor days, 15 and 16 September in Lyon.Between two presentations on the progress of plan savings of 3.1 billion euros, brokers and analysts will be invited to a tour of hypermarkets completely "re-enchanted.

According to our information, the most spectacular project will be unveiled in Ecully, in the upmarket suburb of Lyon. Work will start in the coming days and be completed in late August. The different radii, starting with those on the non-food (textiles, hi-fi …) will be reorganized in the form of blocks, or shops open on a driveway. A radical break with the organization of gondolas "spike", perpendicular to the rays.

Expensive and spectacular

Another radical change, hyper might be organized around a single street, which would allow customers to wander at will … without missing a spoke."A spiral path, which would impose a smooth path to clients as Ikea," says one close to the matter. A precision belied by Carrefour.

Rather expensive, spectacular concept, designed by the design office Malherbe, should be reserved for the most hyper among the high-end 231 of the brand in France. Also, changes may not be as radical, but they should nevertheless be numerous, as in Venissieux.

There remains the issue of the less profitable stores in the chain. Here the group test by the end of an adaptation of his Brazilian concept Atacadao involving hypermarket and hard discount, with few services and references 7000 sold to declining prices based on volumes purchased.Eventually, nearly a dozen stores could be converted, and renamed Hypercash.

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"No, no, no, no. By repeating his answer, Nicolas Sarkozy has made to assert emphatically that the fate of Spain was absolutely no concern for him and for all European leaders, meeting in Brussels on Thursday. "No, there is no concern. We fully trust the Spanish authorities. There is no problem, "he said. The French president and wanted to put an end to rumors suggesting that the country of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero will soon get similar assistance to that granted to Greece.

The Spanish head of government has also dismissed the "unfounded rumors" about the fragility of the Spanish financial sector."There is nothing better than transparency to demonstrate creditworthiness, to give confidence," he said.

"This is an analysis that we have 27 to make, which is shared by the IMF, the European Central Bank and the European Commission, Nicolas Sarkozy repeated. "I prefer to make this short answer. Otherwise, I can already foresee the reaction of markets, "has entertained the head of state.

"Defining an Economic Strategy"

The president has focused instead on the organization and objectives of European economic government for which he pleads with Angela Merkel. "It is legitimate that the Heads of State to take decisions in that they have an interministerial allowing them to make decisions in matters of competitiveness," he says, while the Commission President José Manuel Barroso, the European Commission wants to have its say."The Commission has a prominent role but is not she who is in charge of such decisions," decided the President of the Republic.

"The idea of economic government does not only address budget. It will develop a strategy for competitiveness, covering topics such as research, law office, universities, a strong and sustainable growth, "said Nicolas Sarkozy. "We are only at the beginning of the concept. The words 'economic governance' were taboo still four months ago. But the idea is gaining ground, "he was glad.

The tax credit is gaining

In addition to this question, the president addressed a wide consensus about the tax credit. This will be applied in European countries, in order to "contribute towards a fund to ensure that taxpayers and investors that what happened will not happen again," said Nicolas Sarkozy.Regarding the tax on financial transactions or financial markets, "the issue is unresolved. We will make decisions based on the major players in the G20. The idea of a tax will indeed be defended by the European Union at the summit to be held late June in Toronto. "This is a major challenge, but the fee must be applied to the global scale for more efficient," said President of the Republic.

In the field of transparency, the Council also decided that the results of stress tests (stress test) will be issued, bank by bank, in all countries before the end of July. "And in order to avoid new psychodrama.

Strengthened sanctions in the euro area

Concerning the Stability Pact, the European Council decided that it should be strengthened for greater "financial stability"."There will be penalties for those who do not respect the commitments on debt. The fine is not the best solution. With Angela Merkel, we uphold the suspension of voting rights.

Not to mention consenus on this last point, the head of state has simply stated that "several countries have requested that the penalties are the same for all members." Nicolas Sarkozy also said that "sanctions and obligations must be more important for countries in the euro area. The European Council President Herman Van Rompuy should give more detail on this subject in October.

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Malta takes a very dim view of the opening of the French market paris online and does everything to slow the process. This is the poker from the first to pay the price. Indeed, the opening to competition of the French market of online poker is postponed for one month, until late June because of an obstruction of Malta under EU rules, said the Agency France Presse (AFP) the entourage of the Department of Budget and confirming information site Challenges.fr

"We can not publish the implementation decree (for poker online) before June 28 It postponed a month because we are forced Malta, "says one with services Françoise Baroin.

A French law "relating to the introduction of competition and industry regulation of gambling and online gambling" was promulgated on May 13, followed by a dozen decrees.This legislation relates to sports paris, the paris horse and poker.

The Regulatory Authority online games (Arjel) should issue next Tuesday fifteen licenses to operators of online games, especially in order to start the paris during the FIFA World Cup (June 11-July 11 ).

Problem European procedure

The government had sent there over a year to the European Commission's draft legislation on online gaming, then notified Brussels implementing decrees, said the Budget Ministry. "Member States (EU) had three months to make their comments and Malta has chosen to do May 27", ie the last moment. France is obliged to meet in Brussels and Malta before issuing his decree. Paris now has one month to respond.

Malta, already established on the market for online games, contests a provision of the French law requiring players to register with an approved operator. This is contrary to the EU principle of free movement of persons and property.

"There is no problem on the merits. It is simply a procedural problem in Europe, as it has been commented at Bercy, stating that the grant Arjel as planned on Tuesday for its amenities paris sports, horse and poker. For the latter, many traders will await publication of the decree in late June. Still, the situation is embarrassing for the operators. Bwin, Unibet and Unibet already offer online poker. And waiting for regulatory approval to regularize their situation.

The Nikkei 225 of the Tokyo Stock Exchange ended trading Thursday up sharply from 2.18% at 10,620 points, thanks to good business results.The activity was average with 2.27 billion shares traded on the primary market.

Elsewhere in the region, the trend is very promising: the Hang Seng in Hong Kong up 1.05%, the Singapore Straits Times of Singapore won 0.3% to 2889 points and the S & P / ASX Sydney s 'gives 0, 71%, to 4652 points.

Sony confident

The Japanese electronics giant Sony has confirmed on Thursday it had ended the fiscal year 2009-2010 on a net deficit reduced to 40.8 billion yen (312 million), reflecting a return to the Green In terms of utilization through reductions in fixed costs.

With the renewed vigor, Sony also said Thursday that he hoped to finish the year began last April, and will be closed in March 2011, a net profit of 50 billion yen (about 400 million euros ).

Nissan Motor Co. is not far from being able to resume an operating margin of between 6% and 7%, said Thursday that Carlos Ghosn, CEO of the Japanese held 43% by Renault. On the occasion of the publication of a return to profit in the fourth quarter 2009-2010, Nissan had Wednesday reported a profit forecast for 2010-2011 considered conservative.