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China and South Korea will kick off Monday, May 14 negotiations to conclude within two years of a free trade agreement between the two countries.

The two vice-ministers of the file, and Jianhua Yu Choi Seok-young, will meet in Beijing for setting a timetable. Korea has high expectations. Trade between Seoul and Beijing will reach $ 300 billion in 2015. They rose 19% last year and China represents 24.1% of foreign trade of South Korea.

But it complains about the free trade agreement signed in 2010 between China and Taiwan who, she said, penalize its businesses. Reductions in customs fees it authorizes have allowed Taiwanese firms to save $ 225 million between March 2011 and March 2012. And only during the first quarter of this year, they managed to save 102 billion dollars more. Suddenly, they are more than 3300 to have applied for accreditation to benefit since January, 1100 against the same period last year. Taiwan and attracts more and more investors from mainland China.

Today, Saturday, May 12, Chinese Minister of Commerce Chen Deming and his South Korean counterpart, Bark Tae-ho, are found, also in Beijing, this time with Japan, represented by its Minister of industry, Yukio Edano.

"Chiang Mai Initiative"

They should sign an investment agreement to three. Last week, they decided to increase to 15,000 billion to their potential for cross-borrowing in the future, and to double to 240 billion dollars of financing capabilities called the "Chiang Mai Initiative". China, which represent almost 15% of the volume of world trade, will take the opportunity to weigh more on the regional chessboard.

Japan has understood and does not put all your eggs in one basket. While Yukio Edano discuss with Chan Saturday Deming, his country seeks to approach the United States and their transpacific agreement, which includes including Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, and which could also join this year, Canada and Mexico . "That's where our real interest," recently told Professor Tomohiko Taniguchi, responsible for rebuilding the country after the earthquake of March 11, 2011.

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Rampant privatization, premium given to the giants of BTP to the detriment of SMEs: the left, the public-private partnerships (PPP) were not good press. Ten days ago, Alain Rousset, in charge of industrial affairs in the team of Francois Hollande, has yet launched a charge against such contracts where a private company built or maintained, public infrastructure and receives in exchange for a rent decades of state or local sponsors.

Field, however, the situation is very different. In March, the General Council of Seine-Saint-Denis, chaired by the Socialist Claude Bartolone, decided to build 12 schools, eight sports, five kitchens and a boarding PPP. An investment of 323 million euros. And if one of the pioneers of the PPP was the Loiret, led by Eric Doligé UMP, many elected to the left followed. The General Council of the Hautes-Pyrenees PS built in PPP broadband network, its counterpart on the left of the Tarn-et-Garonne bridge. Even the Allier, led by Communists, has called on the PPP for the circumvention of Vichy. As for cities, the PPP is just as transpartisan. The urban community of Lille PS was chosen for its large stadium. "Do not be dogmatic but compare each time the cost of the PPP and the cost in the conventional system, where the community borrows to finance the project and is responsible for maintenance," says Claudy Lebreton, the president of the PS Assembly of the departments of France (ADF).

Saves time

PPP, the chosen company must often go into debt to finance the project. Problem: it does at a higher rate than communities. She must also pay the shareholders. But these additional costs can be offset by operational gains. By choosing a PPP, it is not necessary to make a tender for each provider and the execution is supposed to be more effective. In short, it is faster, which is a source of savings. "In a conventional procedure, we build two colleges in five years. PPP, six colleges will be ready for the start of 2014. Students in Seine-Saint-Denis will be welcomed into the local final, saving the cost of precast, "explains Jean-Luc Porcedo, the chief of staff Claude Bartolone. Which emphasizes that local SMEs work in subcontracting. "We save 20% to 25% on a PPP project. The PPP also enables our staff not to manage complex technical issues, such a bridge, "says Marc Gaudet, vice president of the General Council the right variety of Loiret, who chose the PPP for 12 relief centers , seven colleges and a bridge. "A quorum will be renovated in classical procedure, because this site showed no urgency," he says. "At a time when banks lend us little, PPP projects can start," says Jean-Luc Porcedo. On this point, associations of elected officials are sounding the alarm. "The PPP engage communities for years. This is debt, "recalls one to the Association of Mayors of major cities in France (AMGVF).

Major point, border communities have contracts. The slippage of some PPPs such as the South Ile hospital proves. The public-private partnership is a tool, not a panacea.

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Another blow has been struck at HSBC famous file listing 3000 French taxpayers with a hidden account in Switzerland. Brandished a file in August 2009 by Eric Woerth, Minister at the time of the Budget, as weapon against tax evasion. Wednesday, the Swiss authorities have confirmed information published on the website of the Nouvel Observateur that the file has been modified from when it was recovered and returned to Switzerland a few months later. "Analysis of the material by the Federal Judicial Police has shown that data had been changed since there were differences between the contents of various files sent by the French authorities, when they should be similar in all respects" said Jeannette Balmer, spokesman for the Ministry of the Attorney General (MPC) Helvetic.

The Budget Ministry, we do not comment this point. But it emphasizes having worked in the state of the art in France, "which have made no changes to the file forwarded by the judge guaranteed high risk personal loans." For Bercy, the fact that 3000 people have been singled out, but the file contained 8000 lines, explains: "These lines 8000 to 6300 corresponded taxpayers living in France, a person may be affected by several lines. Of these 6300, over 3000 had closed accounts or assets to zero. That left taxpayers with 3000 active accounts. "The ministry said there would be no names deleted from the list.

Nevertheless, this file appears increasingly fragile. In France, the Court of Cassation quashed a search of tax against a member of the HSBC list, because the file had been stolen. In this case by Hervé Falciani, a former employee of the bank. That while the IRS has launched tax audits on the 3000 list of names. Control which he expects nearly a billion euros in revenues.

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Trendy for Parisians or lovers of Japan, Muji is a reference for almost fifteen years. The Japanese brand, which sells both sheets as sofas, dresses and cosmetics, has opened its first store in the capital in 1998, next to Saint-Sulpice church. She is now trying to seduce other regions with its own-brand products exclusively. Muji has opened its first store outside Paris, Lyon. "We are moving slowly but surely and open one to two stores per year in France. Except this year, where we are inaugurating three: recently in Saint-Lazare and Lyon (Confluence), then in Levallois-Perret (So West) this fall. We will also be in the center of Paris Beaugrenelle next year "lists Tadamitsu Matsui, CEO of Muji.

No way to move up a gear, the risk of being wrong again. "We were too eager at first. By 2000, we had seven stores, but we had to close three, "says the director. The Japanese had to adapt to European tastes. Soy sauce, for example, was removed from the shelves, then it's the food that Muji is renowned in his country. "From 40 references only food sold in supermarkets Seiyu in 1980, we moved to more than 8000 items. In Japan, now we sell more household items (55% of sales) and apparel (35%) as food in our shops, "says Matsui Tadamitsu payday loan.

First Muji to Go

France now among the "top performers": its eight stores are profitable and their sales rose 7% (excluding openings) last year to 19 million euros. Muji chose the Hexagon to test its new format, the Muji to Go with its range for transit passengers. The first of its kind in Europe has opened in the Gare Saint-Lazare.

No question, however, export of other concepts that are the hallmark of Muji in his country. The group will not accept his philosophy – "simplicity, functionality and low price" – and offers flowers, Flower at Muji, a range of restaurants (Cafe & Meal Muji), stays in its campsites Muji and even building houses. The company generates 80% of its sales in Japan with its 381 shops (176 abroad), but this balance is about to change. The number of Muji in China will have almost doubled this year, making the Middle Kingdom the second largest country in terms of turnover.

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A short sentence is enough to ignite the Web. The scoop carelessly launched Friday morning by designer Philippe Starck on France Info enough to wake all the fantasies about what could be the revolutionary new product from Apple. For all fans of the brand are convinced, after the iPhone and the iPad, the Cupertino firm should upset a new domain. But which one?

Citing the "cult of secrecy" dear to Apple, Philippe Starck has obviously meant nothing more. He just confessed that he met Steve Jobs, Apple founder, now extinct, "once a month," and said he would return Monday (April 15) "see the wife of Steve Jobs ". Apple denies these statements.

The care that the Apple brand brings to the design of its products is a sign of his gratitude. And Philippe Starck would not be at his first attempt in the high-tech. He was in New York this week to launch the headphones Zik, French Parrot.

Apple TV

Among the objects that the French could have drawn face on TV, this beautiful Arles Apple. The arrival on the market of ultra-thin OLED screens or flexible opens the field of possibilities in design. Only problem, the two major suppliers of screens are LG and Samsung. They are not necessarily willing to let the U.S. access to their latest technologies. Unless Sharp

.

Another track, the digital table. Samsung has also made a nice demonstration in Paris Thursday, April 12. This table, which resembles a TV a bit thick, is actually a large touch screen that can accept almost any application.  

Thus, the restaurant Touch'In is the first to have equipped with the "size" of Samsung, including the ability to choose their cocktails, to prepare the menu and send the order directly to the bar. A London bar has even developed a message function to communicate with neighboring tables. More seriously, the Paris airports have commissioned a score for waiting rooms equipped Orly and Roissy.

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On a dedicated website, "quialemeilleurservice.com", the comparator identifies ten life situations: "my car broke down or crashed," "I am preparing my retirement," "I move", or "in case of hospitalization" Whenever … a list of criteria is presented. The user ticks the most important to them: get a replacement vehicle during repairs, have legal protection in case of dispute with the garage … and the comparator identifies the three insurers that best meet their requirements . According to Axa France, nearly 4000 different podiums are possible.

In many of them, it is likely to appear! It is one of the few insurers to have a range of contracts large enough to appear in all the situations provided. Only four other companies have the same privilege. The remaining 20 were put to work for certain life situations. Moreover, in each of these, only the first 12 players on the market are in competition.

Guarantees unfamiliar highlighted

Axa France denies having committed to his advantage (depending, for example from the guarantees of its own contracts) the selection criteria proposed to the user. They were identified through a study conducted with Ipsos on the expectations of the French no faxing payday loan. Only regret: some refer to guarantees of course on effective marketing plan – for original and attractive to customers – but in practice rarely used and not necessarily relevant for judging the quality of services. Thus, the ability to take a taxi one evening too watered is one of the criteria proposed for insurance "young driver". But nothing is said of the deductible amount in case of accident.

For the comparator does not include any element of price. If the user wants to know what it will cost contracts providing the highest level of services identified, it should compare the rates alone. A link to the websites of insurers on the podium offers him the opportunity.

For the insurance company, this tool meets a vast project, and wanted to lead by CEO, Nicolas Moreau, Axa France to a copy service company. Axa your Charter Service is now in place to assure customers, among other documents easier to understand (jargon is banned), a monitoring of claims (repair, compensation …) on the Internet, a telephone number call … when you do not know what service call, etc..

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Auction: The cars that are rated flies

To believe Matthieu Lamoure, director of Artcurial Motorcars, the period when the vintage car was considered "a status symbol and an object almost vulgar minor" are long gone. The head of the brand specializing in auto auctions believes that he is shedding lots are now treated as "objects of art, even art work for some." One thing is certain, the curves of the body beautiful, rare models and prestigious pedigrees have panicked the most recent sales. Thus, the Ferrari 250 LWB California that belonged to filmmaker Roger Vadim was sold 4.5 million euros in February. In 2000, the same model was worth the equivalent of 450,000 euros! This day of sale, particularly splendid during the Retromobile, had also totaled a record $ 14 million. The next appointment for lovers of fine mechanical engineering will be held at the Le Mans Classic, with a sale on July 7, devoted to sports and GT models. It will perhaps confirm this trend.

Life insurance: social security contributions: the big mess

Some insurers like Aviva Afer the contract, applied 13.5% for social security to all the interests of their 2011 contracts of life insurance. Others have taken less, remembering that the interest earned until September 30 did not support these contributions at 12.3%. ING Direct, having chosen the first method, even warned his clients that he had erred and would correct, to comply with the second. The reasons for this paradox? "To know when the interest is acquired, it should refer to the contract," said the administration. For Aviva, and Afer the contract, they are acquired when the performance of the contract for the year is calculated. Or early 2012. Other insurers take into account the guaranteed minimum rate during the year. Investors who paid more than others will appreciate this debate.

Fun: manage your cellar as its portfolio

Driving his cellar easily from their computer, that's what the site offers Cavissima.com. Launched in 2010, this innovative service allows you to choose a good bottle with expert advice and manage your cellar remote (stored in Burgundy). It is obviously possible to sell at any time a portion of its stock or have them delivered at home and thought that you want to drink (after thirty euros for a box of 24 bottles). "We were mostly left on the concept of the cellar pleasure but we felt a strong enough demand to approach investors," says the creator of the company, Thierry Goddet free business cards. It is not uncommon for customers and buy two cases of great wines by saying they drink one of two while the other could generate a capital gain. Believing that customers are still missing a little information on changes in price of wine, it has soon make available a rating, like what is proposed by the site selling wine iDealwine. For now, the site can be his cellar piecemeal or through subscriptions (75 to 250 € / month). If the service is free, it must nonetheless pay storage fees and insurance of 10 cents per bottle per month. Finally, those wishing to sell their bottles through Cavissima will pay him a commission of 15% when the gain exceeds 10%.

Pea: the new tax

Welcome surprise to the future expatriates. Since March 20, they are no longer forced to close their share savings plan (PEA) before leaving to work abroad temporarily. Yet what was the rule until now. Those who held this investment for more than 5 years should also pay payroll taxes (15.5% in 2012) before settling in another country. More interestingly, the expatriates who do not move in a country on the blacklist of tax havens are now exempt from all taxation (taxes and social charges) if they close their PEA (whose deposits are capped at € 132 000) during their stay abroad. A windfall tax which does not benefit investors who live in France (all closed PEA is taxed according to their seniority). But the tax authorities wanted to remove very complex regulations, which meant that payroll taxes were due or not by country of expatriation and the duration of the plan. In 2006, an investor who left France had also brought an action before the Council of State. What finally pushed the tax authorities to review the operation of the PEA in accordance with French law européennes.Paradoxalement rules, this change rather lenient with expatriates, comes as the major presidential candidates promise to tax more tax exiles! Thus, Nicolas Sarkozy wants to tax capital income earned abroad, so that the exiles are paying as much tax as if they had remained in France. In response, Francois Hollande himself has proposed to tax on capital Exiles party in Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium …

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The owners have not yet finished with the work of modernization of elevators. They have until July 2013 to make the second round of renovations under the 2003 Act. This should put the elevators in the residential park standards (a third term is expected even for some in 2018). According to the Federation of elevators, this law has reduced by half (48%) of those accidents between 2008 and 2011 and divide by three those resulting in death between 2006 and 2011. Accidents technicians are also down.

France has the fourth park lifts in Europe, but also one of the most dilapidated: half of the 490,000 elevators has over twenty-five years and a quarter, more than forty years (especially in the Ile-de-France ). But because of the economic crisis and high cost of the work, some assemblies condominium renovations are slow to vote. The total budget is estimated to be 18,000 euros per unit. Curiously, it reached 25,000 euros in 2006!

Maintenance and renovation in full essort

"We are seeing a marked slowdown in orders for concern and further work of the Security Law of existing lifts (SAE)," said Federation President lifts, Alexis Salmon-Legagneur. Half (52%) only facilities are now compliant. And the Federation of elevators fears an influx of late orders, with a corollary, an increase of the completion dates of work. Moreover, "there are always 25,000 units (8% of the park) where the work comes first (2010) have not been made. Should identify those where hazards exist, but there are probably 15,000 units in France at risk, "says Jean-Luc Detavernier, managing director of the Federation of elevators.

The owners have already spent 4.9 billion euros to carry out the work between 2003 and 2011: 2.6 billion to implement safety elevators and 2.3 billion corresponding to upgrades. The elevator companies take full advantage of this situation. In 2011, maintenance and renovation also represented 70% of the total turnover of the profession (2.7 billion euros against 2.1 billion euros in 2006). The elevator companies employ 20,000 employees in over 150 companies. But four international groups – Otis, Kone, Schindler and ThyssenKrupp – is shared by three quarters of the market.

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Web caught fire Monday morning to find a promotion launched by SFR on its Internet box. Prices are in effect in free fall: the classic box drops to 9.90 euros a month (against 31.90 euros), and the Evolution box – out there a little over a year – goes to 19.90 euros a month (instead of 37.90 euros).

The enthusiasm of the Internet must be tempered: it offers a "flash" tightly controlled. This promotion, which lasts only until Friday, is for first 5000 registrants. Once subscribed, the offer is valid for one year. Finally, to qualify for these prices, you must have subscribed for mobile smartphone. SFR does therefore no risk of spillage or financial impact.

If it is not a revolution in the economic model of SFR, it is nevertheless the first time the band performs and flash sales on its website. An operation that is reminiscent of those carried by Free all June sales on the site-privee.com.

"SFR made a mistake by doing this promotion on its website and in non-private sale or equivalent facility. For this type of operation has always bad press from current customers, who feel aggrieved. It is a curious signal to the market and commercially inefficient, "one analyst wonders. So why bother? "This may allow to test the elasticity of demand facing price as aggressive, and create a kind of buzz marketing," said another analyst.

The battle is tough

Sucked into the spiral Free Mobile, Vodafone tries to resist by all means Internet Payday loans. But the operator is struggling. Its CEO, Frank Esser, had to leave his post. Jean-Bernard Levy, chairman of Vivendi, its parent company, took over the reins live. The battle is fierce, because the operator has to defend himself on the front of the mobile, where it lost 200,000 net customers, but also on the front fixed. For in attracting customers with unbeatable prices on the mobile, the Free also often switch to the box and fixed supply.

But already in the last quarter of 2011, figures were not fixed in good shape for SFR, which had recruited only 30,000 net new subscribers, against 59,000 for Iliad (and the only brand to 103,000 Free), 120,000 and 122,000 for Orange for Bouygues Telecom. In this context, the quadruple play offers (Internet, television, landline and mobile) are emerging as a major weapon retention. Released in November 2010, the box Evolution of SFR was sold 600,000 copies in late 2011.

Already competing with the Freebox Revolution, SFR will be competing with the new box Sensation Bouygues Telecom but also the new Orange Box, due out late August or early September. The war also impacts the mobile market fixed.

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Free

Ayache out of his torpor. Four years after the death of its founder, Alain Ayache, the media group seeks to empower the board to the offensive. It is in advanced talks with Fleurus Presse, equally owned by the investment fund OpenGate Capital and California Financial Leisure, personal holding company of French Jean-Martial Lefranc, to give him the answer to any monthly!, Confirming a Information Site of La Lettre de l'Expansion. The transaction is expected to close in April.

"It's OpenGate who contacted us, points out Nathalie Ayache, widow of Alain Ayache became Group CEO. As in all media groups, when offers are presented, they are viewed. "His company, which achieved a turnover of 23 million euros in 2011 to an operating margin of 8%, should invest the proceeds sales in the digital development of its two monthly issues of the feminine women (82,514 copies in 20,011, up 1.6% according to OJD) and fashion magazine number (50,000 copies, according to the editor ).

If negotiations are successful, Ayache separates from its first broadcast magazine (114,955 copies in 2011, down 9.6%), which has a solid base of subscribers (75% of the distribution) and its site , launched two years ago, recording a traffic of 550,000 unique visitors per month.

Acquisition strategy

A profile that was clearly seduced OpenGate Capital, owner of TV Guide (2.5 million subscribers) in the United States. Its European office in Paris, has recently been very active in the French market of the press. Together with his partner of Financial Interests, which is what funds had spotted and bought in June 2009, the youth wing of the Le Monde group, composed of Fleurus Presse (12 titles for 1-14 years, including The Apricot or Girls P'tites vanilla) and Junior Weekly (The World of Teens). It was he who acquired last December, Arts Magazine (29,328 copies in 2011), in liquidation.

The Franco-American group, which anticipates 32 to 33,000,000 euros in turnover this year, continued its momentum with the successful launch, 18 months ago, how it works, as a discovery which targets 15 -25 years. He is preparing to market all understand the target of 7-12 years.

But OpenGate Capital intends to continue shopping in further expanding its target. "We want to gradually get out of the press for children to open our range of magazines for young adults and adults," said Julien Lagrèze, partner in charge of acquisitions of OpenGate Capital in Europe. The titles of Fleurus Presse have something in common: the share of subscriptions is very high, around 30% of the broadcast medium. A solid basis of recurring revenue and a targeted investment. "We look at all acquisition opportunities in the areas of knowledge and education," explains Jean-Martial Lefranc.