While consumption in électricté soaring these days, the automatic assignment of social tariffs for electricity is still conspicuously absent. Yet, the measure should come into force on 1 January. This had been announced in the autumn Eric Besson, Minister of Energy. Indeed, he had promised for this winter complete automation of the procedure for awarding the tariff of primary necessity (TPN), commonly called the social rate of electricity

This delay, which should continue for several more weeks, is because the "last formal consultations" between government and industry must always be held together with a notice of the State Council, said the Ministry of energy, confirming the information of the Parisian …

These special rates are reserved for beneficiaries of the Universal Health Coverage (CMU) or any person whose monthly income is below 634 euros a month (for a single person). Entered into force in 2005 for electricity and for gas in 2008, social tariffs were previously allocated on demand to beneficiaries (the limit is 7800 annual revenues of approximately EUR for a single person and 11,700 for a childless couple, ed), but by lack of information or administrative complexity, many do not demand.

Only 600,000 households currently receive social tariffs so that 1.5 to 2 million are eligible, a situation that had prompted the government to promise its automation. The reduction is estimated by EDF and GDF Suez at about 90 euros per year for electricity and 140 euros for gas.

"The decree is under review by the State Council, it should be able to give its opinion in the coming weeks, as he will have the last formal consultations that are normally involved in early (February Ed.) . The decree will be published in the coming days, "the ministry said in a

. commmuniqué, president of the Syndicat Intercommunal the Outskirts of Paris for Electricity and Communication Networks (Sipperec) Catherine Peyge noted that there was "urgent." Some 3.8 million households, or 14.4% of French households in the metropolis, are currently considered in fuel poverty, c 'ie they spend more than 10% of their budget for their energy bills, says she. "What do the government to publish the decree and to end this anomaly is that a tariff, decided in 2000, implemented in 2005, still unable to protect families who need it? Meanwhile the electricity prices rose 6% in two years, and the bill could rise by 30% by 2016 ", criticized Ms. Peyge

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"Dear Silvio, a new opportunity to escape with Ryanair." It is this formula that the low-cost airline has launched an advertising campaign on its website to promote its flights to 9.99 euros from Rome.

With a photograph of the Italian Prime Minister taking in hand the new calendar of charity of the company filled with scantily clad women, Ryanair offers Berlusconi to "escape", while the head of government is experiencing a major political crisis in the country that could lead to step down.

This is not the first time that Ryanair uses the news to advertise.In August this year, the company overdone the matter Depardieu, who had urinated in the hallway of an aircraft during a flight on August 17. "We are not the only ones who piss on the competition," was written at the time Ryanair on its website. One thing is certain, if the company is ready to surf the news, this is rarely the best of taste …

The National Assembly approved Friday the establishment of a tax on soft drinks, the amount will be doubled from the initial draft of the government, and also introduced a tax on beverages containing artificial sweeteners, sodas lights.

The tax on soda, two cents per can, bring 240 million euros, half of which would finance the reduction of social security in agriculture, and the sweeteners on 40 million euros, said the Minister of Budget, Valérie Pécresse.

A few hours earlier it had expressed its opposition to a tax extended to lights products."Broadening the tax base it would lose its coherence" had she said, stressing the goal of the fight against obesity project.

As feared, the Slovak Parliament rejected on Tuesday the strengthening of the Financial Assistance Fund of the countries in the euro area, potentially exacerbating the debt crisis. There is indeed no "plan B" to circumvent the veto.

"Of the 124 deputies present, 55 elected officials voted in favor, 9 against and 60 did not vote," noted the Vice-Speaker of Parliament Pavol Hrusovsky, after the vote. Without the 22 members of the SAS did not participate in voting, the coalition could not consider getting a required majority of 76 elected members.

Considering that the Slovaks are too poor to pay for the mistakes of others, Richard Sulik, the leader of this party, opposed the EFSF, unless that Slovakia is provided to pay his bill, an event swept by Brussels.

The result of this vote should logically lead to the collapse of the center-right party Radicova Ms. Iveta SDKU-DS who had associated with a motion of confidence in his cabinet.

EU leaders decided on July 21 to give the EFSF new powers including increasing its lending capacity to 440 billion euros. An envelope that could be used to recapitalize European banks.

But to become effective, these measures were to be ratified by the parliaments of 17 countries in the euro area, which had set up in mid-October. Sixteen countries have already approved these changes, Slovakia is the only one to refuse to ratify it.Bratislava had already refused to participate at the forefront of aid to Greece decided in spring 2010.

Strengthening the EFSF represents a contribution of 7.7 billion euros for this small country, entered the eurozone in 2009. Given the risk of paralysis, Bratislava has raised the possibility of a second parliamentary vote, in which the opposition Social Democratic Party (Smer-SD) could support the strengthening of EFSF. No date has been set for that vote.

The leader of the opposition Smer-Social Democrats SDn Robert Fico, former prime minister, warned that he would abstain from voting on Tuesday but could then provide support to the government in a second vote provided that early elections are held.

The European Commission had in turn put pressure indicating "strongly hopes" a positive vote to help ensure "the stability of the euro area".Monetary union is by no means destitute. But she should return to EFSF old formula, with a lending capacity and lower private supposed to allow new tools to stem contagion from the crisis in countries like Spain and Italy.

Already, the decisions taken on July 21 are partly obsolete. On the one hand, the EFSF will have probably still be muscular to leverage its clout to reassure markets on its ability to cope with a possible spread of the crisis in Italy or Spain.

On the other hand, the leader of the finance ministers of the euro area Jean-Claude Juncker acknowledged Monday that the losses will suffer the creditor banks in Greece are likely to be greater than expected.

Made outstanding contributions in the second aid package to Greece, decided July 21, banks had committed to eventually accept a depreciation of 21% of their portfolio of Greek bonds, in order to relieve Athens , awash in debt of close to 350 billion euros. But this figure of 21% now seems outdated. "The discussions focus on a discount of 50%" today, said a European government source told AFP.

If this threshold is reached, Greece would move to a default similar to Argentina in 2001. The country's creditors in the end had to accept a discount of about 70% on a debt four times less than that of Athens.

Greece, however, snatched on Tuesday troika comprising its creditors (European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund) the promise of payment in November of 8 billion euros.

This will prevent an immediate collapse and allows it to buy time in negotiations to restructure its debt in the euro area. The fears weighing on the banking system led the Europeans to agree to recapitalize their banks. The Commission President José Manuel Barroso, will also Wednesday "proposals" in that it will present to the Commissioners.

The Basel Committee and will conduct the first global effort to force banks to hold more liquid assets, said Stefan Ingves, who is also governor of the Swedish central bank.

"A balkanization of rules on the long term is in nobody's interest," said Stefan Ingves FT.

The Basel III should lead banks to hold more capital to better deal with unexpected losses, but concerns are emerging that some countries do not respect them.

The newspaper reported that the committee plans therefore to publish maps showing which countries of the world follow the rules or not. The committee will also send teams of experts to check whether the transposition laws and regulations of each country are consistent with the agreement.

The Basel Committee is finalizing details of two rules of liquidity: the liquidity coverage ratio, which could require banks to hold sufficient liquid assets to survive a crisis 30 days, and the ratio net of stable funding, which would force financial institutions to make greater use of forms of long-term financing.

The Dow Jones has given 2.36% or 258.08 points at 10,655.30 and the S & P-500, wider, fell 2.85% or 32.19 points at 1099.23 , a low of thirteen months.

The Nasdaq meanwhile lost 3.29% (79.57 points) to 2335.83.

The financial sector was particularly hard hit, after the 10% decline marked by the Franco-Belgian bank Dexia. The group very exposed to the Greek debt, illustrates the risk posed by the financial situation of Greece in the European banking sector.

Bank of America has dropped from 9.64% to 5.53 dollars per share, its lowest level since March 11, 2009.Morgan Stanley has in turn yielded 7.63% to $ 1.03.

Both banks have also seen prices soar credit default swaps on their bonds, in part due to speculators betting on a deteriorating situation.

Citigroup and Goldman Sachs have respectively dropped by 9.8% to 23.11 dollars and 4.7% to 90.08 dollars.

The KBW bank index plunged 4.78%.

In addition to the fears of Europe, analysts fear that the poor state of the U.S. economy does reduce bank profits and thus would reduce even more their ability to absorb losses related to mortgages.

"Fear and uncertainty will guide these values ​​until we find the clarity in one way or another," said Jason Ware, of Albion Financial Group.

The index of manufacturing activity in the United States had temporarily supported the meeting before the downturn in the wake of financial resources.

As part of a new package of measures to reduce the deficit for 3000 billion announced Monday by Barack Obama, President of the United States to unveil the creation of a tax on wealthy Americans with incomes above the one million dollars. This tax has already been dubbed "Buffett Act", in reference to billionaire Warren Buffett, who recently noted that the richest Americans are taxed less than the middle class.The New York Times, the millionaires tax would only affect 0.3% of taxpayers, less than 450,000 of the 144 million returns recorded in 2010. It integrates with a broad revision of the tax schedule by ending tax breaks granted under the presidency of George W. Bush to taxpayers earning over $ 200,000 annually.

Before they are formalized, these proposals have raised an outcry among Republicans. To Senator Lindsey Graham, "the tax code should be reformed as the sole purpose of creating jobs. When you tax one percent of the economy, this is called a class war." Criticism echoed by the representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. "The class struggle may be regarded as good politics but it rots the economy, he said on Fox News. We do not need a system that divides people.We do not need a system that exploits fear, jealousy and anxiety. "

In France, an outstanding contribution … and symbolic

Included in the austerity plan announced in late August, a 3% tax will be set up in 2012. It will labor income and capital in excess of 500,000 euros per year. And bring 200 million a year into the coffers of the state. "This is an exceptional tax" to be "removed" when the government deficit in France has been reduced to 3% of GDP, said the Prime Minister. If France keeps its promises, the tax shall remain in force until 2013 and disappear the following year.

However, the tax is considered "symbolic" by many observers. "It's quite symbolic and ridiculous," lamented the president of the Senate Finance Committee, Jean Arthuis.In common with many members of the majority of economists, the centrist senator favored the creation of a slice or two additional tax on high incomes. Even more virulent, the Socialist Party denounced as an "emblematic" of "cynicism" of government, accused of asking the rich "not to make a ninth" of the "check" that they made in reducing tax Solidarity on wealth (ISF). "It's really the political symbolism," joked Elie Cohen, research director at CNRS. He said eight months of the presidential election, the government wanted to "go in the direction of public opinion in favor of taxation of the richest."

In Italy, Berlusconi managed to water down the tax

After a first abandoned under pressure from Silvio Berlusconi, the richest tax is included in the austerity plan endorsed by Italy, September 14.But it will be much narrower than that previously envisaged. Set at 3%, finally it will only cover the income above 300,000 euros per year while the previous version had the highest of more than 90,000 euros.

In Spain, the wealth tax is reintroduced to finance regional

Pressed by the markets and the European Union to reduce its deficits, the Spanish socialist government has reintroduced this Friday for two years, the wealth tax, suspended in 2008. It ensures that it is intended only for the richest and 90% of Spaniards do not have to pay. This tax will concern that "about 160,000 citizens," "all the others do not pay," assured the spokesman gouverenement.A measure that would generate about one billion euros, and to fund areas that block the accounts of the country.

Also accused of touching a part of the middle classes, the tax was suspended in 2008. To answer these criticisms, the base has been changed: the taxpayers will be taxed on their property that beyond 300,000 euros, against 150,000 in 2007, and their assets in excess of 700,000 euros, against 108,000 in 2007. A constant parameters compared to 2007, the tax, "focused on the richest people" should report "around 1.08 billion euros," said Thursday the economy minister Elena Salgado

"All cash possible" recovered in 2011 and 2012 will be available to the regions, so that in 2012 and 2013 they have "more resources to meet their expenses," said Minister of Economy.The financial situation of the 17 regions, which have a high degree of autonomy is a recurring source of concern for the markets. At the end of June, their accumulated deficit was already 1.2% of GDP, while it should not exceed 1.3% by the end of December, while overall debt reached a record high at 12 , 4% of GDP, against 10.2% a year earlier.

The markets showed positive trends at the opening, the unit displayed the day before by Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy have partially reassured investors about the impending failure of Greece.

The CAC 40 has pressed the bar of 3000 points and finished with a gain of 3.27% to 3045.62 points.The index was pressed from the opening above a key technical resistance close to 2,950 points, which could lead the benchmark index of the Paris to its next significant resistance located nearly 3,120 points, analysts say techniques.

Investors are nevertheless concerned about the Greek case and a possible contagion of debt to other countries in the euro area, some traders felt that the current phase of increase is just a technical rebound.

"In our scenario, China is a bumpy landing, the euro survives, growth in the United States is at a new pace disappointing, but still positive, and central banks keep rates low for a while really, really long , "wrote strategists from Societe Generale."Meanwhile, risk indicators show that fears of a catastrophic scenario are already circulating."

Other European markets, London has gained 2.11%, 3.15% Frankfurt and Milan 3.55%. As for the pan-European Euro Stoxx 50 index, it took 3.47%.

FLIGHT OF BANKS IN THE AFTERNOON

The renewed optimism, even relative market has benefited particularly to financial and cyclical stocks.

The indices of banks (4.08%) and insurance (4.23%) topped the increases in perspective of a coordinated intervention by central banks to address the problem of liquidity of European banks.

"They have to do something. We saw the announcement yesterday that banks had asked for two dollars to the ECB.We are again in the dollar shortage. They are forced to address this problem.If they do not, everything stops, "said Philip Lawlor, strategist at Smith & Williamson.

Beyond the risk of losses from their exposure to sovereign debt vulnerable countries in the euro area, especially Greece and Italy, the market fears that European banks, French banks in mind, are facing problems refinancing if the market of bank financing to complete paralysis.

BNP Paribas has finished well ahead of increases in the ACC and the index of banks in Europe, with a gain of 13.38% to 30, 500 euros, after gaining up to 22% shortly after the announcement by the ECB the resumption of contributions in dollars.

UBS, however, ended in a fall of 10.8%, the Swiss bank has suffered from the revelation of a loss estimated at two billion dollars (1.46 billion) related to transactions by a trader.

The pressure to sell the investment bank will increase further after the discovery of the fraud in the Swiss financial institution.

Among the cyclical sectors, the European car gained 3.18% and the construction took 3.22%.

Some brokers are beginning to find that the decline in the prices of cyclical stocks has been excessive, including a false scenario of deep recession as the fall of 2008.Citi went to buy ArcelorMittal, saying it is time to buy the title, whose prices anticipate "the end of the world."

The action of the steelmaker gained 4.31% to 13.400 euros.

Illustration of a slight relaxation, the performance of the German government bond (Bund) and 10 years went back around 1.93% against 1.87% on Wednesday and that of the Greek debt to trade around 23.15 % against 25.15% the previous evening.

The euro also regained some ground against the greenback and is trading around 1.3860 dollars, against 1.3741 the previous day.

The Spanish Treasury has issued on Thursday to 3.95 billion euros in three auctions, reaching the top of the range expectancy of 3 to 4,000,000,000 euros, but at a high cost, despite the support of the Central Bank Europe in the context of fiscal crisis.

The non-reimbursed health costs, known as "co-pay" has declined slightly in 2009 and 2010, said on Wednesday the Ministry of Health, confirming a report in the daily newspaper Les Echos. According to figures from the DREES (Direction of research, studies and evaluations and statistics), which depends in particular the Ministry of Health, rest paid from a peak of 9.7% in 2008 and dropped to 9.4% in 2010.

This phenomenon is explained by the growing importance of 100% reimbursement by health insurance care for the chronically ill (ALD / long-term illness), which increases the average statistically supported.However, other measures, taken a few years ago, had the effect of this increase is dependent: franchises 50 cents on each box of medication, lower rate of reimbursement for certain drugs, increase in daily hospital fee increased from 16 to 18 euros.

"Contrary to some, supported by national solidarity is still very high, and the amount still to be paid by households is the lowest in Europe after the Netherlands," said Wednesday Les Echos the health minister, Xavier Bertrand, who is chairing the Commission on Wednesday health accounts.

For ambulatory care (non-hospital), the figures of the Drees set dependent than the rest of 12%: support for health insurance is down to 55% on average, while the complementary reimburse 33% health.For drugs, patients are out of pocket to the tune of 16.3%. For the hospital, rest paid is 3.2%. For ambulatory care (hospital treatment free night in the hospital), it was 12.7%.