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Organic products seem immunized against the crisis. Last year, sales were nearly $ 4 billion euros, an increase of at least 10%, as estimated by the Bio Agency. A sacred performance. Over the same period, sales of consumer products (food and hygiene products) have indeed stagnated in volume, and increased by only 3% in value.

Despite prices 20% to 50% higher, organic products, which represent less than 2% of the food market, continue to attract consumers. However, they are less likely to try the bio. In 2011, 40% of French reported consuming at least once a month for organic products, when they were 43% in 2010 and 46% in 2009, according to a survey by the CSA institute. "In a crisis, the curiosity of consumers is less, recognizes Elizabeth Mercier, Director of the Agency Bio. But market growth in 2008, the year of crisis, was 25% and 19% by volume. " In contrast, 18% of those who consume at least one organic product a week they intend to increase their intake this year. "This allows us to expect a further growth of organic products in 2012," said Elisabeth Mercier.

More visibility on the shelf

"The potential of new consumer stays there, half the French having no problem purchasing power," said Didier Perreol, group president Ekibio (Priméal, Bisson, My life without gluten?), Which states that Organic consumers are mostly from the wealthier classes.

"The market continues to grow as a supply effect contributes mechanically to increased purchases," says Isabelle Senand, author of a study on the bio for Xerfi. This is the result of the number of openings specialized brands (Naturalia Biocoop, La Vie Claire?), Pioneer of organic and enlargement of the assortment in supermarkets and hypermarkets. Today, 10% of milk sales are conducted in organic section, over 15% of sales? Eggs but only 6% of sales of fruits and vegetables. Last year, innovations in the organic section have increased among the national brands, ham Fleury Michon Pom'Potes Materne to Mont Blanc.

"The distributors have established themselves in this market with their brands and national brands, explains Isabelle Senand. All signs now have their own organic brand, which is largely the democratization of the market. "

The price gap has in fact reduced in grocery, fruit and vegetables or dairy products. "In five years, our prices are down 15% due to higher volumes, which allowed us to increase productivity," says Daniel Tirat, CEO of two cows, the brand of organic yogurt from Danone, the second mark market.

In three years, the market for organic fresh dairy products has doubled to 100 million euros. "We are in a logical recruitment of consumers, two thirds of our buyers who have never eaten organic yogurt, adds Daniel Tirat, which will test next month at Monoprix sales of butter and cream The two cows. We need the bio is even more visible rays. "

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"What will happen if the people say no? The risk is that the international community shuts off the money and the country will eventually leave the euro. There is matter of serious concern investors, "said Christoph Weil for his part, an analyst at Commerzbank. As for the CM-CIC analysts, the referendum "opens a Pandora's box about the size of the losses to be borne by financial institutions."

To tout its cars to French consumers, Renault has found nothing better than to tell them all the good we think of the Rhine: "The Germans had never worn if the colors of the Renault group," proclaims a full-page advertisement inserted recently in several major newspapers. And a huge flag Germanic, where the yolk was replaced by the orange Renault, is quoted the testimony of three magazines giving high marks to the products of the firm to diamond.

In a completely different note, our brother Le Monde has published a major survey of its specialist art entitled "The German art is greater" (sic).Dealing with three exhibitions held this fall in Paris (Baselitz, Lüpertz and Richter), journalist and university Philippe Dagen highlights the quality of their training, the dynamism of their collectors and regionalization of their art centers, ensuring competition . After having watered three centuries of sublime music, will they outdo us again?

The admiration of Germany has become the national sport on the left bank of the Rhine. "It will take time to go to a joint work, we must move towards a common retirement age, it will move towards convergence of economic and social organization of our two countries," recommended last month François Fillon, in a speech at Matignon.The Prime Minister handed "the price of creative audacity!" The finger of suspicion towards the merger, given the respective performances, 150 billion trade surplus with them, 75 billion deficit at home, 6.9% unemployment there, by 9.2%. And then this terrible figure, which summarizes and explains its own precedents: from Munich to Hamburg, we continue to manufacture 5.3 million cars, with no change in recent years, while French car production fell by 3.2 2 million in five years.

Our guide would rather "fear of the police"

For their part, manufacturers are Germanic full of praise that they braid.Witness the latest ad Opel France on the radio on the bottom of a thundering speech in the language of Goethe, this comment means voice-over: "No need to understand German to know that Opel is German quality. "

Narcissism which the Germans, like all people, are tempted to succumb long history. Just remember the famous phrase of Richard Wagner: "To be German means to do something for herself." Taste for work well done. The composer of Bayreuth, revered by the French intellectual circles of the second half of the nineteenth century despite the defeat of 1870, speaking at a time when industrialization took off in all Europe bad credit personal loan lenders. Wagner wanted to stigmatize the mercantile spirit and the Anglo-Saxon capitalism. The industrial Germanic still close artisans described in his opera The Maîtrbaes Singers, the contrary does not care that the quality of its products.National competition of capitalism was raging. So much so that London had mandated in 1887 to register the trademark "Made in Germany" on products from Berlin. It was a way to deter British consumers to buy them. In vain, because they had quickly perceived the letters as a synonym for excellence.

Reforms "imposed" in Brussels

Our current debates on the tropism of both industrial and financial capital of others have nothing new. It is tempting to attribute the course to specific national cultural roots. The philosopher and sociologist Theodor Adorno, hardly suspected of complacency vis-à-vis the countries that had pushed him into exile, invoked "the great German ideas that celebrate independence with excitement, the purity of the things that the we only for themselves. "

The French seem all the more admirable that such principles are totally foreign. Our guide would rather "fear of the police" that the search for autonomy. Our drivers are less concerned about road safety control radars. Our governments are concerned with reducing budget deficits to meet the rating agencies and the "Maastricht criteria". The reforms we are "imposed" in Brussels, says it for ages. The euro was sold to the public as a "shield" and not as an instrument of independence, etc..

Renault advertisers are part of a powerful ideological trend in France when they refer to the standards of the Rhine. That Germany is a reference-ministerial in Paris, it is called "benchmark" – is obvious, considering its size and its results.That we should draw on the successes of others is also clear. But can we trace our tax on Germany not adjust the level of public spending (over 10% of GDP at home)? Lack of guiding principles, we simply stack the remedies indiscriminately. "Against unemployment, we tried everything!" Claimed pathos with François Mitterrand. One wonders if Wagner had not just right when he treated the French as "monkey people" (1864).

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Free for now will accept cash, or take away from the call for applications for licenses 4G. Wednesday, the Council of State rejected the application for an interim operator to obtain a spreading of the payment. The sages have ruled that Free was justified "or a breach sufficiently serious and immediate interests, or consequences that may affect sustainable competitive market structure that would be likely to constitute an emergency." In other words, not Free convinced that the call for candidates favored the larger operators, who have the means to immediately implement the fixed portion of the license.

Free for all is not over. The State Council will consider the application for annulment of the procedure "in the coming months." Meanwhile, the call for applications for these frequencies will take its course. And the timing is tight.The operators concerned must submit an application before September 15 for the 2.6 GHz band and before December 15 for the 800 MHz band, which relate to the state at least 2 low fee payday advance.5 billion euros and accelerate access mobile Internet. "We were as far as possible to encourage competition. But we also need strong operators, able to achieve very significant investment for years to come, "explained the Minister of Industry Éric Besson Le Figaro on Monday.

Two other cases against the call for applications for licenses 4G remain. Several unions require the licensing to be accompanied by a clause of "location of jobs in France." Bouygues Telecom, for its part, denies that the operators have to bear the costs associated with the 4G frequency interference by the signals of TNT."We assess that risk to less than 2% of homes," said Eric Besson minimized Monday in Le Figaro. In response, however, the government will establish "a single phone number with a small call center, so that individuals can report any such interference on their TV and get the linkage with the responsible operator."

After one was missed, France Televisions has returned an offensive with hundreds of new programs. Taking risks assumed by Rémy Pflimlin, the CEO of the past year. It provides time to install new brands and develop its digital strategy.

The FIGARO. – What are your ambitions in terms of audiences for the group?

Remy PFLIMLIN. – The introduction of DTT has weakened the historic three channels and we have two. But France Television is not only judged on the hearings, as specified in the law. However, we must be the first French broadcasting group with our channel France 2, France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô. All must remain above the 30% audience share.

How do you explain the hearings erratic France 2?

For economic reasons, summer programs in France two were very different from those of the season. We have spent reruns and a program, "Five tourists" who have gone wrong. We dropped during the day and have paid cash. But with the return, the big appointment with Sophie Davant, Laurent and Stephane Bern Ruquier back.

France Televisions will invest 420 million euros in creation. Where do you get the money?

This amount represents an increase of twenty million euros a year. This is affordable in a cost grid for all channels 2 billion. To finance it, we will make arbitration on purchases and program flow.

You run one hundred new programs.Is it ambitious?

We offer 50 new programs on our five channels and 50 new regional programs of France 3. It is necessary to take risks because we absolutely need to innovate to install in the new period of strong brands as are a French village and more beautiful life.

Where's the advertising revenue?

We have budgeted 425 million euros in advertising revenue for the year 2011 against 440 million last year. In late August, we are still OK and I think we will hold the budget for the year.

You signed a contract with the State and sustain the revenue for five years. All can be challenged after the presidential elections?

We signed a contract objectives and resources with state ownership for five years on the basis of the strategic plan that we presented.For five years, the resources paid by the state are sustained and grow by 2 no teletrack payday loan.2% per year. In addition, our commercial revenues, advertising and diversification, we will be acquired. France Televisions thus acquires the necessary stability to build the company unique and long-term work with the world of creation. The company, the creators, the State and Parliament have an interest in maintaining that stability.

What is the social aspect?

We should sign in the coming days a collective agreement with the 2520 group of journalists and then we will negotiate the provisions concerning the technical and administrative staff, which represents 7,900 people. Over time, wages, hours and qualifications will be harmonized. This will have a cost but an investment that will pay off in productivity and simplified structure.In terms of attrition, which runs until 2012 and on 900 stations, we should see 550 starts, some of which permit and enable the recruitment of new skills including digital.

That represent the digital in five years?

The digital will be involved in the group. We will develop an information platform in November and another sports in spring 2012. Our role is to be an editor own content (information, drama, sport, culture …) that will become a commodity that we will provide all the screens. With the spread of television connected, it will be essential to have strong brands belong to us. Thus, we will not be dependent on American series to be broadcast directly by U.S. companies.

What is your position on the chains bonus?

On principle, I support the diversity of supply. On the economic front, although this is less about France Televisions, I note that many players call for a pause to allow to "digest" the introduction of DTT. With regard to the broadcast standard DVBT2, I have no principled position. But it is certainly worth, at this pivotal time, to ask any questions. For there is the issue of bonus channels, there are new channels announced, there is also the arrival of HD channels available. All this requires a resource that is often valuable, and called a real strategic choice. I look forward to the report of Michel Boyon.

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The automotive market bounced back in August. For the first time in four months, new car registrations in France rose 3.2% year on year in August, according to figures from the Committee of French Automobile Manufacturers (CCFA) announced on Thursday. In total, 108,530 units were sold against 159,945 in July.

But this slight improvement has not benefited the hexagonal marks. Registrations of PSA Peugeot Citroen fell 3% to 31,867 cars sold, sealed by the brand Peugeot (-6.1%), while Citroën has increased slightly (+1%). The Renault was down 1.4% to 27,116 cars, despite the rise of the Renault brand (4.8%), due to the fall of its inexpensive Dacia vehicles (-22%). At the Paris Bourse, the new goes wrong with investors. Title Peugeot unscrewed from 3.73% to 20.53 euros by 10:50, in a market down by 1.10%.The action leaves Renault at the same time 2.88% to 27.52 euros.

Featured Nissan

Sales of French cars have fallen by 2.2% over the period while those of foreign cars grew by 10.5%. The Nissan group, whose sales volume is much lower compared to the French cars (3880 cars passed last month) shows still an increase of 32.5%.

BMW saw its registrations increase by 29.5%, while rising by 18.7% Hyundai, Mercedes 17.8% and 15.2% of Volkswagen. Fiat, however, is always the trouble with registrations down 21.5%.

Difficult recovery

To observers, this underperformance against French manufacturers is a surprise. "We were pretty confident and we did not think the market would collapse in August," said Francois Roudier, spokesman for the CCFA."But you still have to be careful because August is a very small volume in terms of months," he added. According to him, the market will "gradually reduce" to the end of the year, due to the effect of the removal of the scrapping took place in late 2010.

Since January, the car market grew by hexagonal only 0.4%. French sales of the first eight months of the year are down 4.4% while foreign groups are gaining 7.7%.

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Households eligible for the allocation of the new school will have received today. The family allowance were announced in early August that this financial boost to low-income families would be paid to the beneficiary households between 19 and 21 August at the latest.

Last year, about 5 million children and 2.8 million households had received this benefit, an average of 300 euros per child. "We do not yet know the exact number of beneficiaries, because some families must provide proof that they will have to re-entry. But a year on year, this figure varies very little, "says one to the National Family Allowances Fund (CNAF). In 2010, the CNAF had counted only 600 beneficiaries over from the previous year. A few weeks ago, Roselyne Bachelot noted that it had mentioned the figure of 4.6 million recipients.

Increase of nearly 7% of the cost of school

In 2011, the allowance for school was revalued by 1.5% to reflect inflation. Depending on the age of the child eligible under 18 if in school, the aid received varied from 284.97 euros to 311.11 euros per year. But the annual increase covers only a small part of the rising cost of school.

According to the Association of Family France, it rose by almost 7% since last year. For a student of the sixth, the only school supplies back to around 187 euros. Involved, the general inflation of around 1.9% a year in France, and the sharp rise in prices of raw materials, pulp and paper in particular is currently selling at record prices.

The Italian government, which has set a target to stop the speculative pressures of markets on Friday adopted an emergency order providing for a new austerity plan amounted to 45.5 billion euros over two years. These austerity measures designed to recover 20 billion euros in 2012 and 25.5 billion in 2013. Their adoption will enable Italy to cancel its public deficit to 3.9% today – by the end of 2013.

For the first time, the prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has agreed to weigh the tax burden with a "solidarity tax" on higher incomes. According to leaks distilled by the social partners, this contribution could rise to 5% for every € 10,000 for employees earning over 90,000 euros, and 10% in excess of 150,000 euros. Self-employed workers earning more than EUR 55,000 will be taxed at 41%.However estates and housing will remain free of taxation. A single tax of 20% will be charged on income from capital, currently 12.5% ​​against and 25% of bank deposits.

Aggressive fight against tax evasion

The introduction of fiscal federalism will be early in 2012, the government hopes to make them more aggressive fight against tax evasion. It will become mandatory to report transactions of more than 2500 euros and harsh penalties are provided for activities not issuing bills or receipts, up to closing. The project plans to make savings, the merger of provinces (38 disappear) and municipalities (in 1500 should be merged). On productivity should be increased with the removal of bridges and the automatic transfer of national holidays on Monday.

The cost of the policy will also be cut with the elimination of 50,000 positions elected at the central government and local communities. Heavy sacrifices will be required to Italians in particular as regards social welfare (social services and family) who will suffer next year the bulk of the effort (about 20 billion euros) all levels of assistance and social transfers to local governments will be affected. However the Northern League had opposed the cuts, pensions will be spared. Women in the private sector will be encouraged to continue working until age 65, or 7 years older than today.

Silvio Berlusconi said his "heart bleeds" to the idea of ​​going against his promise to "never get their hands into the pockets of Italians."But he justified his decision by "the dramatic situation", stressing that the new measures were "inevitable." He added that "the vote in the council of ministers was unanimous." Silvio Berlusconi said that the new measures "are in line of what had been hoped the European Central Bank."

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The earthquake that rocked the small Spanish town of Lorca and killed 8 people, has struck a very agricultural area and little industry. An advantage when it comes time to estimate the cost of the disaster. Insured losses (excluding public infrastructure), however, could represent "tens of millions of euros," said Baunay Yorik, director Ubyrisk and specialize in the study of natural hazards.

"The earthquake seems to have caused more damage than the information from its one magnitude 5.1 on the Richter scale, could suggest," says the consultant. "This reflects the fact that the epicenter was only 10 km from the surface." Nothing to do yet with the earthquake of 2009 that destroyed the Aquila, Italy: he had killed 308 people and cost nearly $ 2.5 billion. Nothing to do with either the earthquake and tsunami, which struck Japan in March.This disaster will cost 217 billion euros.

A region rather poor

Wednesday's quake hit a rather poor part of Spain. The Autonomous Province of Murcia, where Lorca is only in effect for only 2 no teletrack payday loans.5% of gross domestic product compared to its 3% of the population. "Beyond the human cost and trauma it caused among residents, the earthquake is unlikely to have major economic impact," said Jesus Castillo, an economist at Natixis. "But the consequences can be severe for some small local contractors whose production tool has been damaged by the disaster."

Lorca is also home to a factory in Swiss cement giant Holcim. "The 53 employees are safe," a spokesman reassured the group Thursday morning. "The site itself has undergone some very minor damage, which does not involve the production chain.Power was cut, the plant discharged and engineers currently auscultate the site. "The group does not specify how long the plant will remain shut down.

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Up to 12 billion euros in the envelope for help in Portugal will be used to increase the level of strength of banks. Tuesday night, the Portuguese Socialist government resigned and the delegations of the European Union (EU) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) are in fact reached an agreement Surun bailout program for three years.

The amount of external financial assistance who does not seem to be completely fixed. According to the Prime Minister, it rises to 78 billion euros, but a senior source in the euro area said that "officially, the range is between 75 and 90 billion euros.Much depends on the final needs of Portuguese banks. "

Jose Socrates said his side that the terms of the agreement, "which defends Portugal", will give the country more time than promised by the government to meet its budget deficit targets. "It's a three-year program, which defines the objectives of a more gradual reduction of the deficit: 5.9% of GDP this year, 4.5% in 2012 and 3% in 2013," he said. Portugal had previously committed to reduce its deficit to 4.6% this year to 3% in 2012 and 2% in 2013.The imbalance of Portuguese public accounts in 2010 amounted to 9.1% of GDP, well beyond the target of 7.3% from the government.

Threatened breach of funding because of prohibitively high interest rates charged by the markets, worried about the solvency of the country, Portugal, who must repay five billion euros of debt in mid-June, had requested assistance EU and IMF on April 7, after Greece and Ireland last year.

In exchange for this aid, the EU and the IMF require an "adjustment program" consisting of austerity measures "ambitious" and structural reforms involving the major parties beyond the next parliamentary elections of June 5

Divergent opinions

The opinions of analysts on the plan unveiled Tuesday night diverge."The rapid deterioration in borrowing conditions in Portugal (which saw interest rates soar in recent months, note) placed the country in an untenable situation", says Jesus Castillo, an economist at Natixis. The plan "will give the country more time to restate its finances and pursue a policy of structural reforms to improve its competitiveness deteriorated."

The plan submitted by José Socrates, for its part considers Gilles Moec, economist at Deutsche Bank, "made no reference to concrete structural reforms to enhance growth potential." However, he continues, "Portugal's budgetary problems are only symptoms of the difficulties of the country, by their source."

Others worry about the aid itself. "The size of the loan appears excessive in relation to the needs of Portugal," said Ciaran O'Hagan, strategist at Societe Generale CIB rate.The maturities of the debt amounted to 10 billion euros per year and the cost of the deficit itself will be less than this amount. In total, Lisbon auait therefore need much less than 20 billion euros a year, he calculates. "We fear that the aid will reduce the incentives to reduce spending and increase taxes," concludes the analyst.

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