Online Press Release Distribution

While the Franco-German couple is going through a serious crisis, exacerbated by the release of a document on PS1 vitriolic Angela Merkel2 François Hollande 3a tense Thursday, a pole to the latter: it offers the Chancellor an "initiative Europe "at four points, which includes, for the first time, a chapter on political union, so dear to Berlin.

"The Germany4 is ready for political union, well, France5 is ready to give content to this political union and she gave two years to get there," said the Head of State. "We are not afraid of the political union," he assured. "But we want content that shows Europe6 can bring benefits to citizens."

This is the first time that Francois Hollande says the following about the political union. Angela Merkel who has been waiting almost a year its response to German proposals can only welcome this step. "In Europe, Angela Merkel is ready to compromise. (…) We will reach an agreement before the German elections, "says the French president. "We must get Europe out of its languor," he insisted. "If Europe does not advance, it falls, it is erased from the map of the world, the imagination of the people," he added.

On the bottom of the political union, however, a difficult discussion. "Europe is not only the reduction of deficits," warned Francois Hollande, without renouncing its promises of "serious budget." His four-point plan presented at the press conference 7inclut two subjects that annoy the Germans: "The common fiscal capacity" and "common bond." Dear Francois Hollande, the two themes are synonymous, the Rhine, unacceptable financial transfers without a real "fiscal union" that would put state finances in the euro area – and their reform agenda – Trust Brussels, thus indirectly Berlin cash till payday.

This is where the shoe pinches. Other points of the plan are more consensual Holland with Germany. Strengthening the governance of the euro area, with "monthly meetings around a President" is accepted by Germany, it is clear that the independence of the European Central Bank is not threatened and if it can contribute to building a better economic policies, so structural reforms. These meetings would be conducted at the level of ministers in charge of economic portfolio (Finance, Labour, Social Affairs, etc..).

a "New Deal" for employment in Europe

In its offensive in four points, the French president also called for a rapid release of funds from the EU budget for the unemployed youth. Some € 6 billion was budgeted for the EU over seven years. It proposes to accelerate the payment under a "New Deal" for use in Europe, negotiations between Paris and Berlin.8 fourth point: the revival of "European Energy Community" on expensive in Paris and Berlin. This is an ambitious project at half years, as large states, including France and Germany, have consistently refused to cede sovereignty on this strategic issue. For François Hollande, who had raised the issue last September at the conference environment, we must "define a strategy together, help each other on the energy transition, and make an effort to promote renewable energy." A subject on which Angela Merkel agrees, especially if it is done on European funds …. On the issue of renewable energy, however, Germany has a length ahead of France: 25% of its electricity production is based, against 12% in France, which is dominated by nuclear energy.

No potentially lucrative sector of the Web can not escape Google1. Net giant announced Wednesday the launch of a service streaming2 music (a subscription to a music library rather than buying securities unit). Google Play Music All Access will be available for a subscription of $ 9.99 per month, first in the United States, and then rapidly in other countries, including France.

To make its offer streaming attractive, Google did not skimp on resources. It would have won agreements with the largest majors, Universal Music, Sony Music and Warner Music. "Millions of songs" are available. Google relies on its ability to recommend content based on users' tastes and manage research to differentiate. With music streaming, Google does more than add another string to its services available in Android (the operating system for smartphones and tablets, including used by Samsung, LG, Sony).

Unmet goals

Group Mountain View 3change totally strategy in music. Until now, he was content to copy Apple's iTunes download service with its securities unit, called Google Play Music. But it has not achieved its objectives in sales, generating only "a few million" dollars in 2012 according to analysts. The U.S. is trying to solve a problem so far, its services on Android does not generate enough revenue. The comparison with Apple performance in the field may be cruel to Google. In the first quarter of 2013, iTunes, App Store 4 (the Apple App store), iBooks … generated over $ 4 billion in revenue. That's four times more than Google Play. This despite the fact that 900 million Android devices have been activated worldwide, against 500 million for Apple. Another concern, Samsung would pull more profits from Android as Google itself, according to the firm Strategy Analytics.

$ 900 action

For Google, it becomes urgent to restore balance. However, the market for online music and especially the streaming is one of the most promising. And it is still under construction. For now, they are "small players" as Pandora5, a kind of Internet radio with more than 200 million users, the Swedish Spotify, which displays 6 million premium subscribers paying out between 5 and 10 dollars per month, or the French Deezer, who clear the market. But the big players arrive. Google has taken the first step, Apple would consider the follow Amazon have a project in the area, according to the Wall Street Journal.6

Buoyed by these ads, Google stock has passed for the first time the threshold of $ 900, up more than 2.5%, to $ 907, while its market capitalization now exceeds $ 300 billion. It is similar to that of Apple, which totaled 408 billion, or 240 billion less than last September, when the action has reached its historical record.

The textile industry is a mea culpa. Two signs are committed Monday to pay compensation to the victims of the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Dhaka, Bangladesh. One of the first to be confirmed working with garment factories destroyed, the British Primark, said in a communiqué1 his local team "working on the establishment of an immediate and sustainable assistance to disaster victims." Specifically, the group made contact with a local NGO to provide "emergency food stocks' families and account" payment of compensation ", the amount is not disclosed. These funds will be paid to "children who have lost their parents," the "wounded" and "families of deceased workers."

While a demonstration was held in front of one of its stores in London 2dimanche, Primark will not pay alone. The group urged other retailers who use subcontractors collapsed building "unfold and offer their help." In the process, Loblaw first food retail group in Canada, recognized to be related to the accident through its subsidiary cheap Joe Fresh clothing and promised financial support to victims. "We are in the process of finalizing the contours," he says in a communiqué3. Like Primark, the Spanish retailer Mango admitted view past orders for 25,000 items from suppliers Rana Plaza in the early hours of the tragedy, but added that they were samples. According to the Clean Clothes Campaign4 Association, based in Amsterdam, the British and Spanish Bonmarché Corte Ingles also revealed their links with these workshops. Other companies that were suspected weekend5 including Carrefour brand Tex, C & A, Benetton or Wal-Mart, but denied.

The financial challenge of responsible production

While the drama was over 380 dead and thousands injured, about 3,000 people employed in the building, the pressure rises on the western textile giants. They are charged to enjoy a local labor at low cost without always ensure checks (security, social and production) on site cash advance flexible payments. In Bangladesh, where wages revolve around 30 euros per month, the union of textile workers (National Garment Workers' Federation) launched a petition 6to force the industry – and spéficiquement Primark, Matalan and Mango – to compensate victims. The text has collected nearly 64,000 signatures to date. "The negligence must stop. The deaths of these workers could have been avoided if these groups had taken the protection of workers seriously, "says Amirul Haque Amin, president of the union. The collapse of the Rana Plaza is the latest in a long list of industrial accidents that have killed more than 1,000 workers in Bangladesh since 2005, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) 7, which had a mission support at the scene of the disaster.

Most multinationals have yet signed codes of conduct intended to ensure that their products are made in responsible and ethical conditions, both on the front of the environment on the working conditions of employees. Primark, for example, is a signatory to the Code of Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) 8, an alliance of companies, NGOs and trade unions which also counts among its members the names of other clothing and Distribution: C & A, River Island, Stella McCartney, Inditex (Zara), Gap, Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Sainsbury's, etc.. The challenge for companies beyond the marketing pitch. With the emergence of a global market for socially responsible investment (SRI) in recent years, the non-financial criteria are increasingly taken into account by financial players who invest in companies. At the end of January 2013, the global market for responsible investment reached 13.600 billion (more than 10,000 billion), or 21.8% of assets under management, according to the World Alliance of responsible investors (GSIA) 9. SRI in France weighed € 149 billion in 201210, up 29% compared to 2011.

A few months of respite! The record of 3.195 million unemployed in category A, dated January 1997, was not passed by the end of February 2013 the Ministry of Labour. At nearly 7800 … It is nevertheless true that unemployment was a 23rd month of increases, with a further increase of 18,400 job seekers, perhaps two and a half times lower than in January 3187 but which leads to .700 enrollment in the reference category employment center. And also the number of 260,100 new unemployed since the election of François Holland in May. Or nine months, about a third of the increase recorded across the quinquennium of Nicolas Sarkozy.

"This increase is part of a trend in reality for nearly five years," said Michel Sapin in a statement, with supporting figures. If we add job seekers engaged in a Pool (part-time jobs), "is rising continuously since May 2008, for 57 months," attack against the Labour Minister hints referring to the responsibility This further increases the legacy Sarkozy.

"General Mobilization"

"I call for a general mobilization for employment", for his part, urged Jean-Marc Ayrault during the session of the current issues in government. And including "communities, associations, the world of social and solidarity economy" that must seize funded jobs (jobs of the future, assisted contracts …) that the government has put at their disposal. But also companies, called mass recruit young people (and retain senior employment) through the generation contract (500,000 are scheduled throughout the five-year period), even now apply for the tax credit competitiveness unveiled in November.

For the first results of the policy to be felt soon low fee payday loans. The jobs of the future, the commitment of 34 François Hollande during the presidential campaign, including struggling to take off. In five months, only 15,000 (about 100,000 this year) have been filled. 15% of the target. "The rise of this device is slow but it is certainly faster than for youth employment in 1997," says an employee of Michel Sapin. "Many actions have been taken but the results will be visible in a few months," cautions his side Aquilino Morelle, the political adviser to President.

François Hollande reaffirms his promise

This announcement does not, however, more credible promise, reiterated Tuesday by François Hollande, a reversal of the unemployment curve by the end of the year. "This is not simply a matter of belief, it is a desire, a goal and I will stand there," insisted the head of state.

With sluggish growth and weak recovery hopes among our European partners, the trend is still a strong increase in the number of job seekers in 2013. The unemployment insurance system has even estimated 185,000 over the entire year. Either deduction increases in January and February, nearly 125,000 unemployed who will register at employment center by 31 December. Not really sense a trend reversal

.

ALSO READ:

"INSIGHT – Unemployment: blame the crisis, of course, but not only …

"Wauquiez:" We must stimulate job creation "

»IN PICTURES – Six presidents facing mass unemployment

SERVICE:

»All vacancies in France and abroad with Cadremploi

LE FIGARO FOLLOW USE ON:

"Twitter: @ LeFigaro_Emploi

Adjusting their domestic help or tutoring in January, although the French found that the bill had risen. The fault lies in the reform of social security contributions plans help home reform passed in late 2012 and effective this year. PS The majority has decided to abolish the words of 'package'. This allowed private employers to pay lower payroll taxes, contributions are still sitting on the level of the minimum wage, even when used at home was paid beyond the minimum wage. He departed from the traditional rule called "the real", which means that contributions after the salary. Approximately one third of households using the services the person was followers of the package. These 700,000 to 800,000 homes now have to pay payroll taxes related to earnings.

However, all are not penalized. Indeed, while removing the package, the government introduced in 2013 a reduction of social charges € 0.75 per hour worked. In other words, he has given with one hand he took the other. But only in part. Because the higher the salary the employee is away from home minimum wage, plus the disappearance of the package is detrimental. "If you pay using less than 8.20 euros net per hour, the reduction of 0,75 euro compensates the end of the package. For higher wages, it is no longer the case, "says Marie-Béatrice Levaux, President FEPEM (Federation of particular employers France). The problem is that many benefits are paid more than 8.20 euros. This is the case of school support services or computer. But also housekeepers and nannies in the large cities. "Ile-de-France, the average salary in-home service is 12 euros net per hour," says Florence Karras, DG specialized site cnickel.com .

Disaster for companies

The simulations are final. According FEPEM a family using a live-in nanny 40 hours per week to 12 hours euros net pay, because of the end of the package, despite the reduction of 0,75 euro and caregivers (provision of services for young children), 65.51 euros per month. Nearly 800 euros per year. Parents paying 18 euros an hour for a teacher their child will be the total bill, including charges, from 24.6 euros to 32.80 euros per hour, according to calculations cnickel.com. Only downside: the repayment of income tax of 50% will halve the extra cost.

Nevertheless, the price increase is likely to be a deterrent. "This will encourage moonlighting. Hours will not be declared and a share of compensation will be paid under the table ", Marie-Béatrice Levaux alert. Not really social progress for the personal … The FEPEM recalled that the last increase in payroll (end of the reduction of 15 points on the real system) has lost 6900 jobs reported in full-time equivalents in 2011.

Companies are minority (4% of the market) in a sector where employment and direct associations dominate. But for those companies that are specialized in providing expensive (typically over) sold with the package, the blow is hard. Especially as some of them also suffer an increase in VAT. "Some of our members are closing branches. It is killing an economic ecosystem, "protested Maxime Aiach, president of the Federation Service to individuals.

For now, most of the benefits of personal services is preserved. The case is limited to the package. 70% of households would not use the package even see the cost of home help lower thanks to the reduction of 0.75 euro. PS and the government has maintained a tax reduction of 50%. "But I'm worried about the future. It is imperative that the majority does not touch the tax reduction, "Marie-Béatrice Levaux alert. Reminder that the sector employs 2.2 million people.

Confidential until recently, the market for electronic cigarette is in exponential growth phase. Attracted a much lower price than cigarettes, more smokers turn into "vapoteurs." An e-cigarette is sold between 9 and 11 euros is equivalent to consuming two packs and a half. For comparison, a traditional package of 20 units costing more than 6 euros today.

More than a million French have already tested the electronic cigarette does not contain tobacco. They would even use it daily to 500,000. "We believe it is much more" forward Thierry Morin, in Cigartex. This industry pioneer has sold "more than a million cigarettes" last year in its 6,000 outlets, mostly tobacconists and Relay. Its sales have doubled in 2012, "more than 1.5 million." Edsylver, which sells cigarettes especially on the Internet, posting a turnover of € 4 million in 2011, while the market was in its infancy. Clopinette, another actor who relies heavily on physical shops, was 3 million euros in turnover in 2012.

"The whole cartons imported from China"

With the rise of the market, dozens of companies in recent months looking to take their share. The electronic cigarette market begins to look like a rat race: "I seem to see a new box to create a day and there is little serious," Judge Thierry Morin. "It attracts a lot of opportunists, brokers. Some websites have very professional, but behind it is just one person who brought boxes of China, sometimes very small volumes low fee pay day loans. "

In fact, all the French players in the sector are provided in China. There is no regulation on prices, which can vary from simple to double for an identical product. The possibilities are endless products: cases, USB chargers, packs of refills apple, blueberry or lychee … Cigartex provides even launch a special nightclub cigarette with a blue LED as an end "to it is not confused with a cigarette by the guards. "

The tobacco industry puts

There is no time for high standards of marketing: Each dealer sets its standards, may elect to laboratory tests … Some try for example to distinguish touting flavored liquid made in France.

Actors 'historical' are therefore rather favorably upon an application by the Minister of Health Marisol Touraine. "This should push for normalization requires that since 2007," says Thierry Morin. In Edsylver, Cédric Cukier imagine that the investigation will lead to the sort. Large firms in the tobacco industry could also take care to clean. Many prepare their offensive. Imperial Tobacco, Japan Tobacco or Lorillard Tobacco took stakes in existing companies, while British American Tobacco and Philip Morris are working on their own versions, for 2014 and 2016.

ALSO READ:

"Electronic cigarettes not necessarily safe

"An investigation on the electronic cigarette

"The shops dedicated to e-cigarettes bloom

Several camps oppose the government on diesel. All agree that the older vehicles running on diesel pollute the most, but opinions differ on how to improve the situation.

Arnaud Montebourg, Minister of Relief productive favors a "conversion premium". The scrappage scheme that does not mean his name (and for good reason, the government has been criticized previous measures) would be both "a social and environmental." It seeks to help poor households own a car diesel acquire a new one … or recent occasion, what would an innovation premium prédécentes.

Arnaud Montebourg has provided no details on a possible threshold of income for these households, or confirmed that the measure would apply to vehicles more than 12 years, which represent 27% of the park. "More than a diesel is prior to 2011, it is more polluting," said the Minister. But you can not establish a "cash for clunkers that meets the backlog of foreign manufacturers." Without specifying how he would pay the premium, Arnaud Montebourg ruled out an increase in diesel. The difference between 1 liter of gasoline and 1 liter of diesel is 18 cents in France "as in Germany," he said, decided "not to be dictated a course of action by the Court of Auditors."

Clog purchases

This has opened the Pandora's box this weekend, stressing that the alignment of taxation on diesel than gasoline would yield $ 7 billion to the state. Arnaud Montebourg believes that "any change in tax could penalize the two French" Renault and PSA diesel champions no fax cash advance. Nothing will be done "without consultation with domestic manufacturers," stressed the minister.

A position remote from that of the Minister of Ecology. Delphine Batho, who proposed the conversion premium, wants more alignment of taxation of diesel and gasoline. It targets 60% of the French car fleet equipped with diesel, responsible for "40,000 premature deaths" per year attributable to fine particle emissions.

Caught between health issues and the need to avoid adverse effects of scrapping (artificial support and expensive market, which eventually collapses), Pierre Moscovici, Minister of Economy, kicked by explaining key "entrusting a reflection on environmental taxation in a working group. No form of higher taxes on diesel are expected. "At the same time, an advisor Matignon conjured him, a" convergence of taxation on diesel and gasoline. "

Salvation could come from hybrid and electric cars. Renault has a range of four electric vehicles, PSA focuses on hybrid diesel (engine mid-electric mid-thermal) and Smart is the third manufacturer to produce an electric car in France. Meanwhile, the ministers take the risk of block purchasing decisions, while spring is a carrier for the car, provided that no debate on taxation does come pollute sales.

ALSO READ:

"The lower taxation of diesel costs 7 billion per year

"The diesel in the viewfinder of government

"The government is working on a" conversion premium "

Black humor, subliminal messages or personal distress … The motives of the agent job center who has posted twelve fictitious offers questionable content remain to be clarified. Time for a weekend, a few imaginary ads have been around the web and fueled the controversy.

Among the ads posted on the official website of the institution of employment in France, the counselor was offered a job shadow "Wizard / mage can create a job, transforming a branch of birch in job various branches, to show the gap between the reality of supply and demand of employment as an illusion, put your skills to job center, and add: Beginner accepted, namely snakes swallow is 1 + , stamp 1 to 100,000 euros. "  

Other examples: "Seeking consultant intelligence able to solve the following proposition: there is no solution, but problems" or offers "Psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, magnetizer … for several vacancies within Pôle Emploi, to treat its employees. Serious diseases. Applications of charlatans and jokers will not study. Type and nature of the contract: CDD two months. "

But humor slips frankly dubious when, just days after the immolation of an unemployed at the end of law to an agency job center in Nantes, post an ad offers a "fire safety officer to intervene on departures fire, prevent the risk of fire. Seat reserved for non-smokers "…

On the Web, the reaction was immediate. On twitter, many users have expressed their incomprehension.  

If you also want to laugh, consult the website of the Pôle Emploi offers Aubigny-sur-Nere low interest rate personal loans… # PôleEmploi twitter.com / ElineSideOut / s

. – ElineSideOut (@ ElineSideOut) February 17, 2013

In short, the employment center of Aubigny-sur-Nere, fun …

– Guy Birenbaum (@ guybirenbaum) February 17, 2013

. @ @ Johnquenelle guybirenbaum @ mistyelodie Yen more! is the internal dispute, Or trollage external password filters?

– Thelonius Monk (@ Monde_de_Droite) February 17, 2013

Counselor far appreciated

But the site has not been the target of a hacker, the ads have been posted by a counselor. A spokeswoman explained that "all counselors are authorized to publish job offers received. All counselors validate their content "without further verification. The latter emphasizes that it is "a first for the institution" which released last year no less than 3 million offers on its site.

Thus, misunderstanding dominates the headquarters of the Institution of employment in France. The spokesman emphasizes that the perpetrator "has long worked for the small agency Cher and is appreciated both by his colleagues as job seekers." Another counselor has taken his post pending clarification of the motives of the agent, and the decision of the institution.

ALSO READ:

"Unemployed slain: associations outraged

"He cheats Pôle Emploi from prison

"The 2013 calendar jobseeker (The Individual)

The continuing decline of the yen begins to stir. The Japanese currency, which hovered around 90 yen to the dollar fell to 90.21 yen Friday, its lowest level in two and a half years. Since the arrival of Shinzo Abe as prime minister last month, the yen has lost 4.5% of its value against the greenback. The decline is equally spectacular against the euro.

Behind the raw numbers, hides the harsh reality of the economy. Falling 0.7% unemployment rate in the United States throughout the year 2012 masks a worrying situation: the growth of the U.S. economy is too small to generate real job creation.

The Labor Department said Friday that only 155,000 jobs were created last month, causing a stabilization of the unemployment rate to 7.8%. Overall figures for December are certainly in line with expectations. But unemployment is still far less than 6% observed since the 1990s and which still prevailed until the Great Recession of 2008-2009. The year 2012 has indeed ended on a monthly average of new posts barely higher than the 147,000 reported in 2011 payday advance.

A new even more worrying that monetary and fiscal policies extremely generous practiced in the United States since 2008 are far from producing results in line with expectations. The Federal Reserve keeps interest rates at virtually zero since 2008, while the U.S. budget deficit still exceeds 7% of GDP. The slight return of growth that has resulted from the summer of 2009 has allowed America to recover only slightly more than half of the 8.8 million jobs disappeared during the "Great Recession".

Boost consumption