Finally, the new stadium in Lille will be delivered on time. "We'll play mid-August our first game of the season at home," says Michel Seydoux, chairman of the LOSC which evolves in Ligue 1. But behind the scenes, the standoff is not over. Reportedly, Eiffage who built this house demands a hundred million to his client, the urban community of Lille. Concerned, administrative delays that forced the construction group to leverage teams to meet deadlines.

With the organization of Euro 2016, France has decided to rejuvenate its fleet of stages. Four out of the ground and go four or five others will be renovated. Operations treacherous. Especially for construction groups that often lead these operations as a PPP (public private partnership-). Clearly, they build these speakers with their own funds and bank loans and are remunerated by the operator of more than thirty years. Vinci will manage this formula with the new stadiums in Nice and Bordeaux, Lille and Eiffage that of Bouygues Stade Velodrome, Marseille being renovated.

The obstacle course begins with countless appeals to justice. They can block the project because if they are serious, banks may freeze their loan. A random number taken seriously in view of the foregoing. At Valenciennes, the new stadium was delivered in July 2011 with a year late. The work was interrupted several months due to legal proceedings.

In Bordeaux, the partnership agreement itself, which is contested before the Administrative Court. "The process is ongoing but does not prevent us from pursuing studies prior to construction should begin in a few months," said Fadi Selwan, development director of Vinci Concessions. The Group therefore maintains delivery in 2015.

Disappointment at Le Mans for Vinci

In Nice, there is an appeal against the building permit. But banks have tried without real danger. They finance the construction site so that advances at a good pace. And the stadium should be finished, as agreed in the summer of 2013. Same optimism to meet deadlines in Marseille while the renovation takes place in the Velodrome stadium where an OM continues to play its games. "The major work is completed and a forum of four is remade," Bruno slips Botella, Bouygues support to manage this grant. Result, the Velodrome, in its new configuration, scheduled to open in June 2014.  

Once completed, the hard part begins for construction groups responsible for operating these speakers. For this brand new business may be of surprise, as was discovered by Vinci, dealer of Le Mans stadium, inaugurated in January 2011. This enclosure was configured to seat 25,000 for a club in Ligue 1, or the home team is behind the bottom of the standings in League 2. "We have significantly reduced the rent charged for the Le Mans FC matches and the club did not make the 6 million to the concessionaire as planned," says one at Vinci.

The risks are smaller for stadiums built in large cities. But several questions remain. For example, to maximize their operations, construction groups expect all of revenue related to the organization of concerts and shows in addition to games of the resident club. The stage is betting on Lille from 20 to 25 such events. The Velodrome in six. Remains to be demonstrated that there is enough events could fill a stadium area.

Finally, all expect finding a group willing to pay five million a year minimum to give his name to the stadium. But for now, nobody has found a generous patron.

ALSO READ:

"The stage, a giant windfall for the construction

"Stade Lille: financial uncertainty due to delays

"Vinci will build the new stadium of Olympique Lyonnais

"The real cost of the 2012 Olympics in figures

Chambers of commerce and industry want to work with the new president and new government on major economic issues: SMEs, industry, international business development, training and learning. "We are a driving force. We are not in the claim, "said Jacques Pfister, Senior Vice President of the Assembly of French Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACFCI) and President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Marseille Provence in presenting the 22 proposals of the network of chambers of commerce and industry.

Sign of this willingness to change and to affirm their desire to play leading roles in major economic debates, chambers of commerce and industry adopt a new logo, "CCI de France." "There are not many networks of entrepreneurs also involved in the economy of the territories and as close to the territories. We are a private Datar, "says Jacques Pfister, referring to the Directorate of Planning.

Chambers of commerce are active in many areas. "They are machines to do economic development, to train young people to manage infrastructure," says Pierre-Antoine Gailly, second vice-president of the ACFCI and President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris. They train apprentices. They welcome students into their business schools. They manage airports or ports. They support SMEs internationally. They help entrepreneurs. They look after employment. "The Chamber of Commerce Marseille Provence 1000 supports RSA beneficiaries per year for four years," said Jacques Pfister personal loans for people with bad credit.

Simplification of yarrow territorial

Anxious to participate in the economic recovery, the Chambers of Commerce argue that France gets a real industrial ambition. They want to make 2013 the year of the industry. They offer a one-stop financing industrial area to help entrepreneurs to find funding.

The launch of a contingency plan to enable SMEs to enter new markets is asked to stop the decline in the number of exporting companies that are not more numerous in 2011 than in 1995. Large groups will be forced to work with "a share of SMEs and SMIs in the French part of their contracts together abroad."

Noting that France is over-managed and that the powers of territorial and state overlap, chambers of commerce and industry urge a simplification of territorial yarrow, strengthening the role of cities and best use of ports or airports. "It is possible to create a% of GDP higher if we reflect on the cities and provide 1% of GDP higher by focusing on the ports of Marseille and Le Havre," said Jacques Pfister.

ALSO READ:

"SMEs have suffered from the credit crunch

"Denis Ranque:" Competitiveness is the priority "

"What CroissancePlus proposes to boost SMEs

"Chambers of Commerce: a reform" balanced "

The campaign for the presidential election held the role of a damper on sales of national newspapers in March, registering a 0.5% decline, according to data released Thursday by the OJD on the basis of returns filed by publishers with the supervisory body of the press. A title, however, now in France, the national edition of Le Parisien, is distinguished by showing an increase of 10.3%.

Le Figaro rose 0.7%

"The whole quarter was bearer, with an average increase in sales of 10.5%, says Jean Hornain, CEO of Le Parisien-Aujourd'hui en France (Amaury Group). The political course supported us, but other factors have played in our favor. Unlike most of our competitors in the regional daily press, we have maintained our selling price to 90 cents during the week, making our way one of the most competitive in the retail outlets. We are also less affected by the free press, which makes the very difficult market in Ile-de-France. "Today in Francea also benefited from the judgment of the paper edition of France Soir, last December. Two other daily progress. One year after the launch of a new formula "bimédia" of the cross paid the sales rose 5.7% in March and 1.6% in the first quarter. Over the period, the daily Christian Bayard said to have multiplied by eight the number of subscribers to his website-croix.com, whose traffic has won at the same time 19%.

For its part, Le Figaro, which remains the largest national newspaper with paid circulation of 342,731 on average, increased by 0.7%. Over the quarter, Le Figaro is stable at 0.2%. All other securities are falling. In March, The World down 4.9%, to 288,881 copies, and the sports daily L'Team (Amaury) of 4.3%, to 258,476. Release is stable, slightly down by 0.5%, to 122,444 copies, despite sales at (kiosks and newsagents) at high levels for the daily run by Nicolas Demorand. Echoes lose, for their part, 3.1%, to 121,889 copies.

Rise of digital

"At first glance, on sales in Paris, the impact of the campaign was less than in 2007, says an editor. However, it must wait to see the performance of securities regions for an initial assessment, but we did have an effect on sales numbers. "

Along with paper sales, electronic editions of national newspapers continue to grow at a healthy pace. Le Figaro including more than doubled sales of its digital versions by crossing the course of 6000 readable copies smartphones and tablets. This share digital broadcast reached, according to OJD, 5.6% for Libération, Les Echos, 6.9% and 8.3% for Le Monde.

ALSO READ:

"Internet: the first successful paid area newspapers

"The French press has spread its falling

"The BBC remains the best-selling national daily

This is the first interview with Jean-Bernard Levy, CEO of Vivendi, since he took over the reins of live SFR, after the departure of Frank Esser end of March. Jean-Bernard Levy happening every day at Defence Headquarters SFR. Including Saturday. Then he joined the headquarters of Vivendi, avenue de Friedland, near the Arc de Triomphe.

At 57, this X-Telecom – who began his career at France Telecom and Matra, before being chief of staff of Gerard Longuet, Minister of Industry under Balladur – knows that his time is short. It should give fresh impetus to the second largest French mobile, thrown by the arrival of Free Mobile and convince the supervisory board of Vivendi to preserve its trust. Some accuse him of having bought at full price – € 8 billion – the 44% stake held by Vodafone SFR yet, just a year before the arrival of Free Mobile does not strongly affect the margins of SFR.

21 million mobile customers

Today, Jean-Bernard Levy must reinvent SFR, which weighs 12 billion in revenue and has almost one in two French among its customers: 21 million mobile customers and 5 million subscribers to Internet broadband no fax payday loans. Faced with the loss of 200,000 customers in six weeks, the operator has responded by lowering prices of its offerings classic "Square" and its low-cost offerings sold online "Red". An adjustment that will weigh on margins in 2012 but in 2013, gradually as current customers under contract will reach the end of engagement. The margin of EBITDA (EBITDA) and should decrease by 12% to 15% in 2012, representing a shortfall of around 500 million euros.

ALSO READ:

"Given Free, SFR multiplied innovations

"Vivendi took over the reins of SFR

"SFR has lost 200,000 customers in part because of Free Mobile

Blast furnaces Florange the Eiffel Tower, it took them a week and a half walk. The steelworkers ArcelorMittal steel plant in Florange (Moselle), left foot on March 28 of Lorraine, arrived Friday afternoon under the Eiffel Tower. The end point of "the march of steel" to "defend their jobs with people."

The 17 walkers, unionized or not, have traveled over 300 km and symbolically ended their march at the foot of the "Iron Lady", made of steel of Lorraine. "Guys, this is who?", They started showing the Eiffel Tower. "To us," responded in a heartfelt cry from the hundreds of employees to join the marchers.

After traveling their last stage, between the Place de la Republique and the Champ de Mars, the steelworkers came to forming a row, holding each arm, all dressed in orange windbreaker. Other employees have come from the Lorraine ovation. On a placard that read "the shadow of death of the steel industry, more than 3,000 jobs lost in Lorraine, Luxembourg and Belgium."

A concert was scheduled for early evening including Bernard Allison. According to police headquarters, from 4 to 500 people gathered at the foot of the podium. "The sides arrived," "Steel Lorraine will live", had earlier chanted the marchers Republic Square.

"Human Adventure"

One of them, Rudy Crestani, retired Florange 61 years, said "human adventure" experienced by the Steelworkers. "The idea was to fight to save our endangered plant and thousands of jobs. We had an extraordinary sympathy of wind and we realized that our struggle far beyond the borders of Florange, this jewel of the industry, "told AFP Edward Martin, CFDT delegate.

"Many French people are recognized and have had to say:" We're all ArcelorMittal power ", because although the company ( business cards design…) is competitive, it is not even enough to keep it running, since all these ayatollahs finance believe that it is always cheaper, "he said. The marchers slept in gyms, party rooms, received encouragement from anonymous.

Nicolas Sarkozy attacks

The previous visit of steelworkers in the capital in mid-March, had led to clashes with the police when they wanted to go to the campaign headquarters of Nicolas Sarkozy. Since the president candidate has blamed union leaders Florange, attacking the "permanent CFDT" who "betray the trust of employees." "The unionized workers are not full?, Edward Martin replied Friday.

For Alain Gatti (CFDT), "the movement was hyper-responsible" contrary to what was suggested Nicolas Sarkozy accusing the CGT and CFDT union officials to be "come (s) to insult and try to break (his ) campaign headquarters. "

By engaging their showdown in late February to keep maintaining the site and some 2,500 IDUs, including several hundred are now partially, the unions had promised to make Florange "the nightmare of the government" if the two high- furnaces in the steel plant, dormant for several months, were not given a prompt start.

This standby, "the death warrant of the site," they say, is only temporary and ensures ArcelorMittal due to global demand for steel at half mast. After "broken promises" of Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008 in neighboring Gandhinagar-industrial site finally closed in 2009 – Florange has become a political battleground, also involving trade union representatives.

ALSO READ:

"Florange: Unions will not go to the Elysee Monday

"The negotiations to end the crisis have failed to Florange

If there are four or five years, Japanese whiskeys fell almost an anecdote, it is clear that the Japanese distilleries were located largely in the market for Liquor Stores. Of the four best whiskeys in the world, two are once more for the Japanese edition of the 2012 World Whiskies Awards, organized by Whisky Magazine. The setting was won in the categories best blended whiskey in the world by Taketsuru 17 years old Nikka from home, and in the category best single malt whiskey in the world with the Yamazaki 25 year old house Suntory.

The Japanese group Suntory is the origin of Japanese whiskeys, in the 1920s. It has two distilleries (Yamazaki and Hakushu) located in northern Japan, which develop blended and single malt whiskeys. The diversified industrial group also owns three Scottish distilleries. Its direct competitor, Nikka, a subsidiary of another giant, Asahi, came a little later (1952) in this segment. And also owns a distillery in Scotland. By themselves, these two houses share almost the entire market of Japanese whiskey world.

If the brand is more Nikka located on the French and European market, notably through the House of Whiskies, which has exclusive, Suntory is positioned more on the U.S. market. Thierry Benitah, CEO of the House of Whiskies, said: "The entry level and mid-range is slightly more expensive for Japanese whiskey over Scotch whiskey, but for more upscale products, including oldest, Japanese whiskey is cheaper, same quality. " It takes only 30 euros for a Japanese whiskey entry level (in comparison, one of the brands of Scotch whiskey sold in the world, Label 5, costs 12 euros). In amount in the range, Japanese whiskeys are between 150 and 650 euros, the price may even go up to 10,000 euros a bottle for a 50 years old.

France, the second consumer of Japanese whiskey

In 2010, according to the International Wine and Spirit Research (IWSR), it is consumed in the world 81 million liters of whiskey Japanese, representing 3 payday advance.2% market share of all whiskeys. Global consumption of whiskey, all confused, totaled nearly 2.7 billion liters. The United States are the largest importers of Japanese whiskey, with a volume of 5.2 million liters. France comes second with just under 3 million liters (2.9 million).

In 50 years, the French have adopted the whiskey. They are the biggest consumers of single malt Scotch whiskey, with 135 million bottles per year, or more than two bottles per person. In comparison, Americans consume 125 million bottles annually, depending on the portal Planetoscope.

Japanese whiskeys, more subtle and sweet

How to explain this craze for Japanese whiskey? Keinta Minari, head of the division of Suntory whiskey for France, gives some keys to this success: "One explanation lies in the style of Japanese whiskey, which is subtle and complex, where Scotch whiskey will be more strong and sturdy. "A view shared by Thierry Benitah of the House of Whiskies" Japanese whiskey is more accessible than the scotch in terms of taste. Unlike Scotch whiskeys, which have a slight bitterness on the finish, Japanese whiskeys receive a final grade soft, chewy and sweet "

According to Pierre Tissandier, head of the cellar Whisky Lodge in Lyon, and previously head of Diageo whiskeys, this development is surprising, "the Japanese whiskey differs from Scotch whiskeys including a search of the exotic, but also by a marketing and a highly developed packaging. " The Scottish distilleries would suffer a certain archaism, where Japanese whiskeys are more modern and stylish.

ALSO READ:

"The Japanese, new kings of whiskey

The plight of Greece will not last more than two additional years. This is at least the promise of the Greek prime minister, Lucas Papademos. "I am convinced that we made more than half way to economic recovery, even if the fiscal consolidation process will take longer. Of positive growth rates should be achieved by less than two years, "suggests he in an interview with Financial Times.

This statement comes as Greece is to receive on Monday from the European Union an additional EUR 5.9 billion. This is the first installment of the second aid package of 130 billion euros granted to Greece in early March. This loan comes new monumental adjustment efforts on the part of Greece, such as lowering the minimum wage by 20% as the country had adopted earlier this year to convince its European partners to help new .  

Mea culpa European

For its part, the President of the Eurogroup Jean-Claude Juncker, made his mea culpa in the Greek press. "I think we did not sufficiently focused on the dimension of growth to the general problem of Greece. We especially emphasized the consolidation of public finances without giving alternative or leave the choice to Greece, the official said center-right daily Kathimerini. We have been hard towards fiscal consolidation, but very low in relation to the other important parameter, that of growth. "

Same story on the side of specialists missioned to Athens to recover the Greek state cheap credit report. "Greece has achieved something unique by testing the limits of what could accept and support people, said this weekend the head of the technical mission of the European Commission, Germany's Handelsblatt Horst Reichenbach. We will not forget. "These statements by European officials" let dawn a change of tone, "Analysis Jesus Castillo, an economist at Natixis:" Even if the strategy is led by the North, led by Germany, one can rejoice that growth is better taken into account to support structural measures very hard ".

Five years of recession

Greece entered its fifth consecutive year of recession. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised downwards its growth forecast last week. He believes the country should emerge from recession in 2013, but he is expected to grow anywhere that year. Meanwhile, business is expected to decline by 4.8% in 2012 (after -6.9% in 2011) and the Greek State should continue its efforts to reform itself. According to the latest European Commission report on Greece, published last Friday, Athens has not made sufficient efforts to combat tax evasion and privatize public enterprises.

ALSO READ:

"Greece: the euro area unblocks EUR 35 billion

"" The risk of bursting of the euro area is behind us "

"Debt: reallocate the EU aid to regions