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The German E.ON and Hydrocop Concessions, a small group of eight French distributors of energy, announced Monday an alliance to win the hydroelectric concessions that France decided to open to competition.

E.ON seeks to expand its presence in renewable energy since Germany has announced its withdrawal from nuclear. The group plans to spend $ 7 billion in this direction over the next five years.

At the request of Brussels, France is preparing his side to open up to competition dominated field by EDF launching tenders for the renewal of concessions of ten hydropower.

The tenders should initially be made on a case by case basis between 2010 and 2013, and the concessions to be granted between 2013 and 2015. But none of the appeals process for applications has not yet started.

"We are late," said a spokesman for the Department of Ecology, adding that the ministry was trying to recruit consultants to finalize the specifications.

The European Union has asked France to open 20% of its hydroelectric plants to competition. The concessions are to be renewed in the Alps, the Pyrenees and central France.

Hydroelectric capacity of France, which reached about 23,500 MW, is now managed by EDF – which operates 85% of facilities in the country – and GDF Suez, which has said it wants to increase its share market sector.

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BBVA, Spain's second largest bank, announced Thursday a 34.8% drop in net profit in 2011 as a result of provisions for impairment of its property assets and exceptional charge .

Its net income amounted to three billion euros, a result set back from the expectations of 3.18 billion, according to a Reuters poll of 11 analysts from financial.

The amount of its bad loans declined slightly to 4% of all of its claims, against 4.1% in September.

He assured that the draft prepared by the Tax Commission in Brussels would be considered by the Heads of State and Government of the EU "at the beginning of this year," and promised that France "will fight" in order to so that it is put into service by the end of next year.

The Head of State expressed satisfaction that now "a number of countries have joined the battle of France", quoting indiscriminately the European Commission, Germany, Spain, Argentina, African Union, Ethiopia, South Africa and Secretary General of the UN, which he said Brazil "who said his interest in the process."

The new car registrations in France rebounded in October, supported especially by the commercial offers to individuals, announced Wednesday the Committee of French Automobile Manufacturers (CCFA).

After declining 1.4% in September, new registrations in the Hexagon rose 2.8% last month to 176,203 units. The change means in raw data and adjusted for working days in October 2010 and October 2011 were both counted 21 working days.

The PSA Peugeot Citroën registrations fell by 4.5% in October, after -18.4% in September, while those of Renault continued to rebound with an increase of 11.3% last month.

The first ten months of the year, the French market is growing by 0.4%.

The top leaders of the euro area was completed last night. It provides for a discount of 50% of Greece's debt and strengthening of the EFSF to 1,000 billion euros. The details. The European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel in Brussels.

The top of the eurozone, which ended in the night between Wednesday and Thursday led to a series of measures to resolve the crisis, including the deletion of 50% of the Greek debt to private creditors and the strengthening of the Fund stability in the euro area.Here are the details of decisions taken by all European leaders.

A discount of Greek debt to 50%

Banks and private equity funds that hold Greek debt have agreed to voluntarily relinquish 50% of their claims on the national debt by 2020: specifically, from January 2012, they will exchange their debt obligations Greek against others whose value will be halved. This represents a deletion of 100 billion euros of Greek debt, currently at 350 billion euros. Fund stability in the euro area (EFSF) will bring to these private creditors 30 billion euros in guarantees on these new claims.The plan of 109 billion euros in public aid (EU and International Monetary Fund) for Greece decided on July 21 is replaced by another, amounting to 100 billion euros, until 2014, who s will accompany closely monitored by the creditors of the implementation of reforms required in the country. Athens will have to find 15 billion to reduce its debt through privatization.

Recapitalized banks to the tune of 106 billion euros

Hard equity banks (equity capital and retained earnings) will reach 9% "30 June 2012." To achieve this, "banks will have to appeal primarily to sources of private capital." Until this objective, "the banks should be subject to some constraints on the distribution of dividends and payment of premiums."The European Banking (ABB) was evaluated Wednesday at 106 billion recapitalization needs, which will involve 70 schools. Greek banks are the most concerned (30 billion) before the Spanish banks (26.16 billion) and Italy (14.77 billion).

The EFSF increased up to 1000 billion

The EFSF, currently has a capacity of loan of 440 billion euros, will reach a strike force of about 1,000 billion. Two mechanisms should complement each other for this purpose. The first will be to ensure some of the potential losses of private investors when they buy government bonds on the primary market. The other is to create one or more special funds (special purpose vehicles) to attract outside investors private or public, as emerging markets.The text mentions, without elaborating, "an even closer cooperation with the International Monetary Fund."

The ECB may continue to buy back debt

The governments of the euro area may have to count on the role of the ECB firefighter to support fragile states such as Italy and Spain. Its future president, Mario Draghi, has promised to continue to do so if necessary.

Golden Rules of generalized

The golden rules of a balanced budget will be generalized. Among the measures to strengthen fiscal discipline common EU monetary figure "the adoption by each Member State of rules on passing a balanced budget the Stability and Growth in the legislation, preferably at the constitutional level or equivalent end of 2012, "the statement said.

Highs in the euro area generalized

Highs in the euro area will be held twice a year.They will be chaired, at least initially, by the President of the EU, the Belgian Herman Van Rompuy. A change in the EU treaty is considered.

The trade deficit of France in August fell to 4.967 billion euros from 6.363 billion euros (revised) in July, the implementation of major aerospace contracts, causing a sharp rise in exports, according to data CVS / CJO published Friday by Customs.

Five economists polled by Reuters on average expected a deficit of 6.2 billion euros, with estimates ranging from -5.7 to -7.0 billion.

The deficit for July was announced in early September to 6.460 billion euros.

"Deficit reduction is entirely due to the transport sector," reads the statement.

The accumulated balance in the trade balance since 1 January amounted to -48.560 billion euros, against -33.184 billion in the first eight months of last year.

Exports FOB data CVS / CJO came out to 37.420 billion euros in August against 35.265 in July.

Imports rose to 42.387 billion euros from 41.628 billion in July.

In August, France sold its 16 Airbus reported 1.345 million euros against 20 in July to 1.183 million.

The New York Stock Exchange finished up 1.68% Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial 30 183.38 points to 11,123.33 winner. The S & P-500, wider, took 20.94 points, or 1.83%, to 1164.97.

The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 46.31 points for his side (1.83%) to 2506.82.

Ecology-The Greens Europe calls for repeal of the 64 oil and gas exploration permit in France after the removal of three allowed by the government. A manifestation of anti-shale gas in the National Assembly, 10 May 2011.

Pascal Durand, spokesman for the European Greens-Ecology (EELV), on Wednesday asked for the repeal of the 64 oil exploration permits in force in France, ironically on the cancellation "surmédiatisée" permit for three gas shale by Nicolas Sarkozy. The head of state said Tuesday, in a speech in Alès (Gard), there would be "no exploitation of shale gas in hydraulic fracturing" in the south of France, as Government had announced the previous day.

"As it stands, clearly we must stop all" even permits aiming of conventional oil or gas, and not just the gas and oil shale and other unconventional gas, told AFP M . Durand. The repeal of all permits would mean the abandonment of all the research for oil and gas in France, including the coast of Guyana where just made a discovery.

Of the 64 permits currently in force in France, 49 relate to conventional oil and gas, and 15 concern the so-called non-conventional oil: the three that will be canceled in the shale, four for oil shale and the eight coal gas, according to the Department of Energy.Yet according to the Government for 61 permit still valid, "the owners have no plans to search for gas and oil shale or have renounced to be limited to conventional fields." On coal gas, the holders have waived all hydraulic fracturing, which is prohibited by law.

But according to Mr. Durand, the holders of licenses, even those who say the conventional target, may have other purposes. "(…) It is likely that there are fictitious applications," he said. "So there is a real danger, it is not at all reassured about the nature of the current permit. We must allow time to investigate and verify," he argued.

Hypothesis rejected at the Ministry: "We can not do anything quietly, either a conventional drilling or a fortiori of hydraulic fracturing.There are statements of work and there is a prefecture government control anyway so it's not possible to do so in secret. "" All the less the sly as hydraulic fracturing, these are very heavy interventions ", argued an expert from Bercy AFP. Mr. Smith nevertheless praised the cancellation of three licenses," illustrates the need for citizen mobilization "and" fieldwork associations " . But "it is far from won," he said.

Employees of the refinery in the Bouches-du-Rhône LyondellBasell group voted on Thursday the renewal of the social movement and blocking the entire site. They demand the abandonment of the proposed closure of the refinery, which employs 370 workers. Employees of the LyondellBasell refinery in Berre, in a social movement in 2010.

Employees of the Berre refinery owned by LyondellBasell voted on Thursday extended for 24 hours of their strike and blockade of the entire site. Meeting in mid-day general meeting, several hundred of them voted the renewal of the movement, on a site off since Wednesday. A new AG is scheduled Friday at 12pm. The move follows the announcement of LyondellBasell Tuesday the closure of its refinery in the Bouches-du-Rhone.

It employs 370 employees and is located in a petrochemical complex in which 1,250 people work.Wednesday evening, staff representatives were received by the management of LyondellBasell. But it seems to turn a deaf ear to the demand of withdrawal of the proposed closure of the refinery.

Staff representatives also claim an economic viability study of the entire site, with and without a refinery, because they fear that the complex is not only profitable, said the representative of the Inter-CFE / CGC, CFDT, CFTC , CGT and FOR, Patrick Sciurca. They ask, finally setting up "real social measures" if, if, the closure of the refinery were to be confirmed.

Neighboring refineries could be affected by the movement

LyondellBasell announced Tuesday its intention to close the refinery, not having found a buyer for its sale in the spring."Despite the efforts of employees and management, the refinery continues to suffer heavy losses and unable to become profitable," said management. Thursday, employees said, expect "a movement hard and long." "It's better a few days or weeks to strike than to lose everything," commented the coordinator of the CFE-CGC factory Patron Remy. "This movement will perhaps go on but I think we need to think about prospects," he added.

Since the strike began, between 200 and 300 employees remain at the site of Berre l'Etang-to block some being requisitioned to ensure safety, according to Inter, adding that three supermarkets in the region refuel for free. Employees also came Thursday in nearby petrochemical plants, expressing their solidarity but also their concern.

Arkema CGT trade unionists in Fos-sur-Mer explained and have moved to "make news" because they fear that any slowing of the site after the closure of LyondellBasell refinery affects the activity of specific their factory. "Everything is interconnected," they emphasized

The possibility of a default on its debt Greece has gained momentum Friday, and even the G20 commitment to take steps to prevent the crisis in the euro area would undermine the banks and the economy n ' has failed to soothe the global financial markets.

Athens has denied reports in the Greek press saying that the one scenario out of the crisis was a default ordered at a discount of 50% for holders of sovereign debt.

The Greek Ministry of Finance has responded to these items by ensuring that the country was determined to implement the second international aid plan, 109 billion, set July 21."All other discussions, rumors, reviews, scenarios divert our attention from this central objective," said Minister Evangelos Venizelos said in a statement.

For its part, Klaas Knot, Member of the Board of Governors of the European Central Bank (ECB), said the scenario of a Greek default could not be ruled out, becoming the first central banker in the euro area to accept the prospect of such an outcome, long ruled by European leaders.

"This is one of the scenarios," he told the Dutch newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad."All efforts are aimed at preventing this, but I am now less certain that it failed to exclude a few months ago," he said, wondering "if the Greeks realize the gravity of the situation" .

THE GREEK BANK TO PENALTY

Risk aversion increased further after Deutsche Bank said the discounts that private investors have agreed to take on Greek sovereign debt in the second bailout of Athens could be greater than 21 % retained in the definition of the program.

European shares erased their losses in late afternoon but still in a very nervous market, investors are increasingly skeptical about the ability of governments to overcome the crisis of sovereign debt and economic stagnation.

The euro remained under pressure, while returning to the land above $ 1.35 after his eight-month low hit the previous day against the U.S. dollar.

In particular, investors appear disappointed by the fact that no specific action accompanies the commitment of finance ministers and central bankers from the G20 to take action to stem the crisis.

In a market still very volatile, banking stocks have turned upward in the afternoon, it seems after about Ewald Nowotny, a member of the Governing Council of the ECB, saying it would be may be desirable to reintroduce the tender to one year.

But Greek banks fell by 8% after lowering the credit rating agency Moody's notes of eight institutions in the country.

The recapitalization center stage

In this context, the question of recapitalizing European banks most vulnerable appears increasingly urgent in the eyes of investors.

Greek banks do not need to be nationalized, but should receive direct support of rescue funds in the euro area, called the head of a delegation of the European Union responsible for helping Athens to develop its reform program.

According to the President of the French financial markets authority (AMF), 15 to 20 European banks need recapitalization.Jean-Pierre Jouyet has also called for "find private investors who come to increase the capital of these banks."

But the European Commission has ensured that there was no plan to recapitalize banks under the European level, judging schools on the continent much more solid than three years ago.

Some 420 billion euros of capital was invested in European banks since the financial crisis of 2008 and the recapitalization is continuing, said at a press conference Olivier Bailly, spokesman for the EU executive.