The three frontrunners for France’s presidency will all lead down the wrong track March 14, 2012 THERE will be no winners in the French presidential election this April. One leading candidate is the unrepentant socialist Francois Hollande, who thinks 75 per cent is an optimal tax rate. The other is Nicolas Sarkozy, who has just managed to nudge himself into the lead with a desperate speech calling for two of the [...]
Sarkozy defies Europe with protectionist plan for France March 11, 2012 FRENCH President Nicolas Sarkozy, recasting himself as France’s saviour from low-cost competition and high immigration, threatened to disregard European limitations on protectionism as he sought to give his re-election campaign a second wind yesterday. Going out on a limb that risks angering France’s European partners, Sarkozy said it was time to support local companies and [...]
Sarkozy promises to crack down on corporate tax as he trails in the polls March 6, 2012 FRENCH President Nicolas Sarkozy said yesterday that if re-elected he would propose a minimum tax on the profits of big listed companies, which could raise €2bn to €3bn (£1.67bn to £2.5bn) in a year to go towards cutting the public deficit. As the latest poll showed Sarkozy trailing further behind Socialist presidential candidate Francois Hollande, [...]
Dexia warns over survival as it falls €11.6bn into red February 23, 2012 STRICKEN Franco-Belgian bank Dexia has warned it could go out of business after posting a net loss of €11.6bn (£9.8bn) for last year. The lender has only received commitments for half the €90bn of state guarantees agreed in October and yesterday it said its survival as a “going concern” depends on the pledges from France, [...]
Kier wins £100m contract for EDF nuclear power plant groundwork February 20, 2012 BRITISH construction group Kier has won a £100m contract from France’s EDF to prepare the ground for construction of a new nuclear power station in the west of England. Kier said in a statement that the contract to carry out site works for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, which is due to provide [...]
Keir wins £100m nuclear contract February 20, 2012 British construction group Kier has won a £100m contract from France’s EDF to prepare the ground for construction of a new nuclear power station in the west of England. Kier said in a statement on Monday that the contract to carry out site works for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, which is due [...]
UK set to sign nuclear deals with France February 16, 2012 DEALS worth more than £500m to advance the UK’s nuclear power programme are due to be signed today, as Prime Minister David Cameron and other ministers meet with President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris. Cameron said the summit “will signal our shared commitment to the future of nuclear power”. The deals, which are expected to create [...]
CAIRN ENERGY CHAIRMAN BREAKS BREAD IN SPANISH SUPERMARKETS February 15, 2012 A RED-LETTER day for Sir Bill Gammell yesterday, as the fast-growing food brand backed by the Cairn Energy chairman announced expansion into its second international market. Under a deal with French supermarket giant Carrefour, Genius Foods, the gluten-free grocery range in which Gammell is the largest single investor, will be available in the chain’s 350 [...]
UK can’t count on others messing up February 7, 2012 THERE are two ways a country can do well. The first is to introduce domestic policies that boost work, investment and innovation, and trigger an entrepreneurial revolution and job-creation. Regrettably, while the coalition has introduced a few pro-market policies – such as cutting corporation tax and tweaking some regulations – on balance it has made [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING February 6, 2012 FINANCIAL TIMES BAE CONSIDERS CUT TO TYPHOON PRICE BAE Systems, Europe’s largest defence contractor, has signalled its willingness to reduce the price of the Eurofighter Typhoon to win back a $20bn Indian tender from France’s Dassault. Ian King, BAE’s chief executive, told the Financial Times that BAE needed to consult with its partners in Germany, [...]