While the antitrust authorities in Brussels and the United of States have launched investigations into possible abuse of dominant position of Google, which is the French court on Wednesday pulled out the first conviction for that reason. The reason: the free supply of services Google Maps for businesses. The Commercial Court of Paris ruled on the Internet giant guilty of unfair competition to the detriment of the small French company directory Cartographers and imposed a penalty of 500,000 euros in damages and 15,000 euros in fines. Google announced it would appeal the ruling.

"This will trigger the wrath of all other applications Google"

"It's the end of a fight two years is an unprecedented decision," welcomed Jean-David Scemama, a lawyer for the company directory Cartographers that Google had assigned to court in 2009. According to counsel, "is the first time that Google is condemned for its Google Maps application." "Today, all the market needs to know. Google will not stay on a free market and this will trigger the wrath of all the other Google applications," said the lawyer. And he said, the ruling of the Commercial Court opens way for Google's competitors, large groups, but also to other small SMEs to attack the American and force it to market its services.

The Google Maps service are not those referred to the general public, but those developed for companies that integrate maps on their websites. "The map products created by the company directory Cartographies happen to be very similar to those offered by Google free Google Maps API (or application programming interface)," the court noted in its ruling.

"Since the creation of Google Maps, the group's strategy was to say the markets of search engines, I am in a state of abuse of dominant position, but instead on the rest as the Google Maps, I'm on an isolated market, "said Me Scemama. "But the connection between the two markets, and Google directory mapping was demonstrated by the Commercial Court." It also recognizes that a directory Cartographers "underwent a series of injuries is characterized by an undeniable loss of customer and revenue." The court also added that "the practice of free clearly intended to optimize the marketing terms of targeted ads."

Clearly, Google would seek to eliminate competition by providing free services to companies relatively expensive, in order to further capture maximum publicity.

For its part, Google said on Wednesday France "remain convinced that a mapping tool free, high quality benefits both users and for website owners. Competition in this sector remains real for us, both in France and abroad, "according to a statement from a spokesman.

The court also ordered the publication of the sentence in the daily Wall Street Journal, International Herald Tribune, Le Monde, Le Figaro, La Tribune and Les Echos.

L counsel argues that Google Directory Cartographers "tried to maintain the service until the end, so much that they have tried just before the hearing to change their methods of sale".

The new car registrations fell 7.6% last month to 179,160 units, show statistics released Thursday by the Committee of French Automobile Manufacturers (CCFA).

They were up 2.8% in October, thanks to commercial offers to individuals.

The figures quoted in the November raw data and working day adjusted, in November 2011 that counted as 20 working days in November 2010.

The Paris Bourse ended with a gain of 0.46% to 3026.76. Other European markets end up in unison.

Values, Rémy Cointreau finished with a gain of 2.9%. The second group of French spirits saw its operating income rose 31% in the first half of 2011-2012 and intends to add a new brand to its portfolio of spirits.

The London Stock Exchange also ended up on a 0.46% to 5337.00 points.

The Nikkei lost 34.31 points to 8,769.09 and the Topix, larger yielded 1.57 points (-0.21%) to 750.45.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou concluded an agreement with the opposition to form a coalition crisis supposed to approve the bailout of the country put together in late October in Brussels.

But in detail, both parties have provided little information on how this will unfold, including uncertainty about the identity of the future prime minister who will lead the coalition.

"Bringing France to a system that works", "max out of Germany" … Yesterday, in his television interview, President Nicolas Sarkozy has once again praised the German economic success and the interest that France would have to be inspired.Henrik Uterwedde, deputy director of the Franco-German Institute in Ludwigsburg, analysis for expansion. Com fascination of French politicians for our neighbors.

How to interpret the willingness yesterday by Nicolas Sarkozy to "bring together the French and German economies"?

Henrik Uterwedde: I hear the speech, I wait for the acts, because this question is asked repeatedly by French politicians. In the 1970s, already, the president Valery Giscard d'Estaing had made the statement that Germany had more resilient to oil price shocks than France, and that, therefore, be based on the German model. But it was especially for the then government to denounce the behavior of unions and to better accept the French policy of fiscal restraint.We find ourselves a bit in the same situation today: the idea of ​​convergence is exploited for domestic policy.

In terms of unemployment, growth, public finances, Germany displays much better than France. Have we still not reasons to get closer to the German model?

Yes on the thoroughness, a word too long banned in France … However, each country has its own peculiarities, and it is difficult to translate the policies of the neighbor. We can watch what is happening elsewhere, but everyone must then find its way. Just look at the weight of SMEs in the economy, which is a major difference between France and Germany. The strength of our "Mittelstand", this network of small and medium enterprises, largely explains our export performance.

The two French car manufacturers have made inventory management a priority in order to avoid ending up in case of weaker demand in the same situation in 2008 when they accumulated levels of 80 to 90 days.

Renault wants to reduce its inventory from 50 to 60 days while the PSA is 60 days of inventory at the end of the year, against 76 days in late June.

"The days not worked must not be seen as heralding a fall in demand is a classic fit two months of the end of the year," said a Reuters spokeswoman for Renault.

She cites as evidence that Douai had experienced longer closures in 2009 and 2010.

"If demand was strong, particularly in France, we would not need to reduce the activity, ask instead how we supply the plants," said one union leader of the group in diamond.

The press reported on Monday and Tuesday as work at the Renault plant in Douai (Nord), which is produced Scenic, stop from Wednesday for nearly a week, while in Sandouville (Seine-Maritime) , Flins (Yvelines) and Novo Mesto (Slovenia), the teams would make the bridge from November 1.

In contrast, sites of Maubeuge (Nord) and Batilly (Moselle), respectively, out of which the utilities Kangoo and Master, are not affected by such measures.

Unlike the real short time, the teams concerned retain their full salary, as in the automotive sector, the "days not worked" are drawn from a capital established at time of peak activity.

EUROPEAN MARKET MORE UNCERTAIN

PSA Peugeot Citroën has set up its part of short days on several sites, and up to a week of closing the plant in Aulnay-sous-Bois (Seine-Saint-Denis) is produced when the Citroen C3.

PSA also suspend production at its plant in Slovakia to the end and mid-November, a decision in this case attributed to lower orders in Europe.

"Apart from Aulnay and Trnava (Slovakia), on the other sites it comes to fine tuning," said a spokesman for SAP.

Plants Aulnay and Trnava are both specialized in small cars, the most affected by the end of scrappage. The Slovak site, the 207 reaches the end of life as her replacement, the 208 will be unveiled to the public next month.

The chief executive of the group, Philippe Varin, warned in September that the European market had become more uncertain in the climate of sovereign debt crisis.He added that if nothing appeared again in the order books, we had to prepare for more difficult times.

PSA and Renault expect a slight relapse of the French automotive market in 2011 and 2012, and an overall stable European market on each of two years. Both manufacturers will release their sales for the third quarter Wednesday and Thursday respectively.

Already recapitalized in 2008 to 6 billion euros not the French public authorities, Belgian and Luxembourg, Dexia announced the beginning of October a new rescue plan led by the three countries.

The Prudential Control Authority (ACP) has sent two letters to Dexia Credit Local in the summer of 2010, copies of which were sent Thursday to Reuters by Georges Gilkinet, MP Belgian French-speaking Green party Ecolo.

"The College (CPA) found that the liquidity position of DCL, which does not comply with the regulations to the deadline of 30 June 2010 and also presents the risk of deterioration was particularly fragile," writing to the regulator DCL August 16, 2010.

"Under these conditions, it intends to place the institution under special supervision."

More detail in a letter sent Sept. 17, 2010, the CPA advanced many shortcomings in the management of Dexia Credit Local.

"In general, DCL is not or has not been always able to accurately determine the parameters of risk instruments markets," it said in the second post.

"The efforts of DCL and Dexia since late 2008 to address the weaknesses identified by internal audit group and this inspection mission are still insufficient to significantly reduce the risks, including counterparty and liquidity, and comply with prudential regulations and accounting, "the governor continued.

CONTROL OPERATIONS failing markets

He also noted the lack of control of Dexia Credit Local of its foreign subsidiaries' consolidated supervision of market transactions was deficient at the time of the survey, DCL not knowing the transactions initiated by its major subsidiaries including Spanish and German."

For the ACP, Dexia Credit Local had failed to mid-2010 to regain control of the risks taken by its various subsidiaries after its first rescue in 2008.

"This situation, similar to that already encountered in 2008 on the activities of the Slovak subsidiary, is not admissible in view of the notional amounts involved and the risks involved," he is also indicated in the report, in which the ACP doubt on the ability of Dexia to "effectively control the activities of its subsidiaries and branches."

A spokesman for the Prudential Control Authority declined to comment.

"This is a report on the consequences of the first banking crisis, we can not correct the story in a snap," Pierre Mariani defended himself in the newspaper De Standaard Dutch, noting that 'no sanctions had been taken against DCL.

A Dexia spokesman declined to comment further.

Dexia has given Thursday launched the final phase of its dismantling by validating the sale of subsidiaries whose Franco-Belgian bank must dispose as part of its rescue plan October 10.

First victim of bank scale of the crisis of sovereign debt in the euro area, Dexia should exist only as a holding company listed in Brussels which will combine the activities of financial services to the public sector in France, Spain, Italy and Germany.

Recapitalized on the basis of 9.9 euros per share in 2008, the Dexia share is worth more today than 0.61 euro. She lost three quarters of its value since the beginning of the year after falling nearly 39% in 2010.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou would meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris on Friday to discuss the plan to end the crisis, said on Thursday a source close to the case in Athens. France is one of the main funders of Greece, with Germany, which was Tuesday Papandreou, who met with Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Chancellor said it was awaiting the findings of the audit conducted by the troika of the country's creditors, representatives of the EU, the ECB and IMF, who arrived Thursday in Athens to whether there should or not renegotiate the terms of the second international aid plan decided on July 21 in Brussels by the euro area.

"Should we renegotiate, or not renegotiate? We would prefer of course that the figures remain unchanged, but I can not predict (the outcome of) the troika," said German Chancellor Wednesday in an interview with Greek state television NET . "We were obviously disappointed that apparently the numbers (the Greek budget deficit, Ed) in September were not as they should be. So we must wait and see what conclusions the troika arrives, the mission experts, what it tells us, "said Merkel.

For its part, the French Minister of Economy, Baroin said Wednesday evening that there was "no alternative" to the background, being ratified in several countries in Europe. "We have a plan" and "yes, France will continue to support the strategy of support" to a partner in the euro area, saidBaroin to the public television channel France 2. "This is the only strategy," he said. "There is no alternative to the declination of the agreement of July 21" and "there is no alternative to the implementation" of the European emergency fund, the EFSF, he said.

The plan, according to the French minister, will "ensure and support measures over time and measures to prevent contagion in large countries such as Spain and Italy." The European Agreement of 21 July expanded the toolbox of EFSF, which was established in 2010 to help countries in financial difficulty.It provides support some 160 billion euros to Greece to avoid bankruptcy, and most importantly, for the first time, the involvement of private banks in the rescue process, which agreed to voluntarily participate in an exchange program bonds when they lose 21% of their implementation, to avoid losing everything in case of bankruptcy of the country. Heads of Mission of the troika comprising the three main creditors of the countries (EU, IMF and ECB) are scheduled to resume Thursday in Athens their audit of the accounts of Greece after almost a month break.

Standard & Poor's downgraded Friday the long-term rating of Groupama, a decision to which the French group had prepared internally by announcing Thursday a savings plan and measures to strengthen its financial profile.

"We will now give priority to profitability rather than market share gains (…) Also, we do not expect to make acquisitions in this period (2012-2015), "said Jean Azema, CEO of Groupama, in an interview published Monday.

"The stock market listing of Groupama is reported at period end, that is to say more towards 2015," he adds.

The Director General further states have no particular concern about the solvency of Groupama by the end of the year and believes that a solvency ratio below 100% is not part of the scenarios to the agenda 2011.

"I will not deny that the situation is a bit tense, because we used to be far in excess of 150%. But it is only due to the collapse of financial markets.I have no concern for the end of the year, "he says.

"The measures we are taking should gradually return to our solvency margin to 150%. They should also allow us to improve our underwriting results with a combined ratio (total claims and expenses to premiums) around 98%" , says he.

Asked about the participation of Groupama, including the capital of Societe Generale, Jean Azema said that the investments of his group were part of the long term.

He also stressed the strength of French banks.

"Let us not forget that they have very strong fundamentals.This is what I see, especially as a director of Societe Generale. "

Groupama is exposed to the European sovereign debt to the tune of 770 million euros at end-June in Portugal, Greece and Ireland, as well as $ 1.5 billion to Italy and 670 million for Spain detailed the CEO.

President Barack Obama said Monday, Sept. 19 that the richest Americans and corporations should pay their "fair share" of taxes, with a plan to further reduce the deficit of 3.000 billion over ten years.

"We can not get out of this abyss only by reducing spending," Obama said in a speech in the Rose Garden of the White House."It is normal that we ask everyone to pay their fair share," added the president, the plan would be funded half by an increase in taxes for the rich.

The tax "Buffett", named after the investor Warren Buffett who proposed, would cover taxpayers earning over one million euros (about 725,000 euros). The goal, said Obama is the tax rate for the wealthiest U.S. taxpayers back to the level of the 1990s and the middle class pays no more, proportionately, than millionaires.

"This is not the class struggle is mathematical," quipped a very combative president, facing criticism from his Republican opponents who accuse him of wanting to punish those who have succeeded and discourage "creators jobs ". "Any reform plan will increase revenues to help reduce our deficit.