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Made in France is particularly popular in this pre-election period. For Adrien de Tricornot co-author of "Inevitable protectionism" is both inadequate and cons-productive for the country reindustrialise. Interview. But the tertiary sector of the labor market in France is also accompanied by a sharp drop in the industrial sector. Occupations exposed to international competition are the most exposed. Metallurgy and should lose, according to forecasts of CAS, 40 000 jobs. Made in France is particularly popular in this pre-election period. Almost all candidates have made a strategic focus of their program. Why?

In contact with opinion and their voters, candidates understand the concerns that cause deindustrialization. They are therefore obliged to provide answers, more or less satisfactory elsewhere. But behind this reaction a bit demagogic, candidates are especially becoming aware that the trade deficit is causing the budget deficit, and not vice versa. Clearly, that our problems are not related to excessive public spending but the growing industrialization of France. This is reassuring since the diagnosis is correct. Unfortunately the answers thereto are not up to par.

Why? Promote French production is not a good starting point?

This is both superficial and cons-productive. Superficial, because it does not respond to the initial problem: it's not a label or an annuity tricolor French product that we will reach reindustrialise France. Cons-productive or even dangerous, because it leads us to withdraw into ourselves when we are part of a package called the European Union. Our priority must be to bring together our models rather than opposing them. Or give the advantage to the Franco-French products require to ultimately recover from the borders between us and our European neighbors. Suffice to say that we would lose 50 years of progress and of European integration.

VAT Social Nicolas Sarkozy seem to you more able to answer the question of de-industrialization of France?

A tariff intelligent European borders seems a more appropriate response, although more difficult to implement. Anyway, create a social VAT at this time of unemployment and low growth seems particularly dangerous. Taxing consumption will lead to an immediate compression of demand, which is obviously not desirable. Conversely, the success of the device in terms of labor cost is far from clear. For the measurement to be as efficient as possible, it would take a broad base and a strong increase in VAT, which is the opposite of what the government proposes. Therefore, it seems wiser to focus on other ways to offset the decline in the cost burden as the increase in CSG for example, or the tax on financial transactions.

Germany has set up successfully …

It's time to stop with the myth of the German model. German competitiveness is not due to labor costs, but its strong specialization in heavy industry. Indeed, the country has managed to turn to high-end industry and is now enjoying growth in inequality in the world, by building machines from Chinese factories. Moreover, the German population is very different from its French neighbor, giving it the moment a comparative advantage. Anyway I think the comparison is irrelevant between the two countries. More generally, moreover, the manipulation of foreign models, often in politics, most often leads to an impoverishment of the economic debate. Remember when in the year 2000, Germany put Ireland and Britain on a pedestal …

In your book "Inevitable protectionism", you feel that the only answer to our competitiveness problem is protectionism, why?

For years, employment and value added of manufacturing French, European and U.S. are in freefall. For years, the growth of the financial system helped to hide this reality. The use of public and private debt indeed allowed to sustain growth. But the crisis of 2007 brought down the masks: after the financial bubble burst, it became impossible to restore growth. In a way or we must therefore find ways of production.

See also the discussion of Expansion: Is a new protectionism?

How?

The great ideology of free trade, still largely dominant, lulled us into the illusion that global competition could be pure and perfect, and it would lead to lower prices for people, and enrichment of the most poor. In reality, this never happened, and very quickly, new forms of protectionism (unfair) appeared. This is for example the case of the Chinese currency, now largely undervalued, and against which it is impossible to compete! It is also the case for taxation which allows some countries to attract the wealth of others. Faced with this terrible situation two possibilities: either we wait idly by our bankruptcy or they were countered by strong safeguards, but transparent and fair.

What concrete steps do you propose?

We propose to set up barriers at the borders of Europe and more generally to regionalize trade in coherent sets. The idea is to increase the price of imports from countries that do not meet a number of tax rules, social environment. At the social level, for example, one can imagine a system where we would tax the product if wage growth does not follow the increase in productivity. Thus, if the difference between the salary increase of Chinese textile worker and the average gain in productivity of the company is 15%, 15% tax on the product until the gap is not reduced. To avoid paying customs duties, the company's interest to raise wages. This can be transposed at the environmental level: all products whose manufacture has not met the criteria of the Kyoto Protocol for example could be taxed. To be completely concrete, we tried to do the math, a role for monetary dumping: on his arrival in Europe, a Chinese textiles would be taxed to the tune of at least 50%.

Europe seems you ready?

It will be long and complicated but not impossible. Especially Germany defends its interests tooth and nail, but is aware that she eminently need the euro area, the main destination of its exports. Moreover, in the European treaties, customs duties are primarily decided by qualified majority, which offers greater flexibility. However we are well aware that such measures will be implemented in a snap. It is only time to think, the risk that not only the political extremes seize the issue and distract.

Might there be not to antagonize our trading partners?

Today no one can move from Europe as a trading partner, nor the U.S. nor China, which have also not the same reservations that we resort to protectionism. Moreover, it seems that for some of our partners, our lack of reaction is analyzed almost as a sign of weakness and decadence of the West. That is why they will not be surprised to witness the awakening of Europe! When Barack Obama has increased tariffs on Chinese tires, it affected relations between the two countries for a time, and then exchanges came away with renewed vigor, as tariffs for that matter! That's why it's time to stop stigmatizing a priori protectionism, which is not comparable as such to the war or border closures as would have us believe the advocates of liberalism …

The European Commission said it wanted to preserve the stability of the euro area as a whole and said to disagree with the rumors point to a stability pact between the States the strongest. The President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso (here at a press conference in Brussels April 13, 2011)

The European Commission on Monday rejected categorically any option that would lead to "break" the euro area into several groups, while news reports indicate possible projects in this direction in Germany and France. "The goal is to preserve the unity of the euro area," said a spokesperson for the Economic and Monetary Affairs, Amadeu Altafaj, during a press conference."If the ultimate goal is to safeguard the stability of the euro area, it is clear that fragmentation does not serve this purpose, any proposal must be based on preserving the unity of the euro area," Has he added.

The German press reported over the weekend of a proposed stability pact reinforced for only a few countries of the monetary union and an option to create Eurobonds limited to only those countries benefiting from the best rating (Triple A). The latter project was denied Monday by the German government. The spokesman also assured the Commission preferred the "Community method", which places the center of decision-making institutions representing the European Union as a whole, as the Commission or Parliament, not a group of States .

Suzuki Motors calls for international arbitration to settle its dispute with Volkswagen, the latter refused to surrender its stake by nearly 20% stake in Japanese automaker.

Suzuki, a specialist in small cars for emerging markets, announced Thursday it had seized the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, an organization based in London.

"We see no major financial impact based on the share price, given that VW has already established a reserve of 263 million euros in the third quarter of 2011 to reflect the reclassification of its stake in Suzuki in its balance sheet , "writes Michael Punzet, an analyst at DZ Bank in a note.

Suzuki accuses VW of not having provided a hybrid technology that would have promised to share.If the current leadership of Suzuki does not work with us, then maybe the next generation will, "he said.

A spokesman for the German automaker has confirmed that the company would not yield to the demands of Suzuki.

Action Suzuki closed up 0.92% to 1,533 yen in Tokyo Stock Exchange, while Volkswagen took up 2.90% to 115 euros at 9:35 GMT on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Toyota reported Tuesday a 32% drop in its quarterly earnings and abandoned its forecast for annual profit, the impact of floods in Thailand completing disrupt a production line that is not yet fully recovered from the earthquake March 11.

The Japanese automaker also suffers from the strong yen, beating down the profitability of some 1.5 million vehicles exported each year and makes it less competitive with neighboring South Korea's Hyundai Motor.

Despite the unfavorable foreign exchange, Toyota said it did not intend to reduce its cut production, saying instead that he wanted to increase the share of domestic sales in total sales to offset the effect of force the yen.

The builder was particularly affected by flooding in Thailand disaster that claimed more than 500 dead, like Honda, which also dropped its earnings forecasts.

The three assembly plants of Toyota in the country are at a standstill since October 10 and will remain so until at least November 12.

Values ​​to follow on Monday in the Paris Bourse, where the index was down 2% to 12.45, a victim of profit taking while waiting for details of the Europe Agreement concluded last week before the G20 in Cannes Thursday and Friday:

* GDF SUEZ losing 3.3%. Belgian political parties, who are negotiating the formation of a new government, have agreed to close Sunday on condition the two nuclear power plants still operating in the country. AREVA also lost 3.8%.

EDF indirectly affected by the decision of the holdings of rights "draw" directly on 8% of the capacity of central Belgium, and indirectly through its Belgian subsidiary SPE rights over 7%, loses 1.7% .The title had sold more than 5% Friday.

* Bank stocks weigh on the coast, especially hurt by profit taking in a climate of uncertainty about the implementation of the plan to resolve the crisis of sovereign debt in the euro area, as shown in the voltage levels Italian government bonds.

BNP Paribas lost 6.7%, 6.5% Societe Generale, Credit Agricole and Natixis 6.4% 5%. The European index yields 3.3%, one of the biggest declines sector with commodities (-3.4%).

* The CYCLIC are also victims of profit-taking, exacerbated by concerns over growth. ALSTOM lost 3.6% and 3.2% MICHELIN 53.930 euros, while Goldman Sachs cut its price target from 78 to 70 euros, while remaining "neutral" on value.

China on Thursday welcomed the consensus reached in the night by Europeans around a plan to end the crisis for the euro area and expressed his support for the measures announced.

After more than ten hours of the summit, the leaders of the euro area have come in the night from Wednesday to Thursday to reach an agreement on the restructuring of the Greek debt, capacity building fund to support the euro and the recapitalization of banks.

"We hope that this consensus (…) is conducive to boosting market confidence," said the spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs during a press conference."China supports the measures taken by the EU to stem the debt crisis."

"China is willing to make joint efforts to safeguard the recovery and growth of the global economy," said the spokesman, noting, without giving details, that Beijing was ready to increase its cooperation with the EU investment, trade and finance.

Chinese President Hu Jintao is scheduled to meet Thursday afternoon by telephone with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy.They will discuss in particular the next G20 summit scheduled for early November in Cannes.

Nicolas Sarkozy had announced last night that China could participate in the creation of a "special vehicle" to multiply the firepower of the European Financial Stability (EFSF), the bailout funds in the euro area.

Oil prices have rebounded sharply Wednesday, closing up more than 5% in New York in favor of a sharp drop in crude reserves in the United States and the feeling that the European authorities are acting to strengthen the banking sector the region.

On the Nymex, the November contract on U.S. crude (WTI) finished with a gain of 4.01 dollars, or 5.3%, to 79.68 dollars a barrel.Meanwhile, Brent advanced 2.81% or 2.8 dollar to 102.59 dollars.

Black gold and breaks downward a series of three sessions, benefiting too, as European stock markets, movement of purchases with it.

The European finance ministers gathered in Luxembourg reached an agreement Tuesday aimed at protecting the banks in the region, while calls for a recapitalization of European banks have increased the margins of the meeting.

U.S. inventories of crude oil fell last week, said Wednesday the U.S. Agency for Energy Information (EIA). Crude oil inventories fell 4.68 million barrels to 336.28 million.Economists on average had expected a rise of 1.9 million barrels.

The lack of unity of Europeans at the top in Poland worried the markets. The IMF refers to the default of Athens.

Divisions within the euro area and the lack of concrete progress on the issue have plunged Greece into turmoil Monday and world stock markets, maddened by the scenario of a default of Athens. A "delay" of continuing the privatization program in Greece can lead the country to "default" on its debt, warned Monday the Permanent Representative International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Greece, Bob Traa. And the meeting of European finance ministers on Friday and Saturday in Poland ended in failure.Divided, they postponed any decision on October the payment of a further tranche of 8 billion euros to Greece, which desperately needs the money to avoid bankruptcy.

"Once again, hopes for new policy initiatives to resolve the debt crisis in the eurozone were violently showered," lamented Jane Foley, analyst at Rabobank. Now, "the market is betting on a 98% default of Greece," said Phil Flynn, of PFG Best Research. The reaction of the stock exchanges Monday was unequivocal. At the close, Paris fell 3.00%, 3.17% of Milan, Frankfurt 2.83%, 2.03% in London.

European indices, once again, been sealed by the banks that would be the first victims of failing Greek. The Deutsche Bank dropped 4.54% and 4.11% Italian Intesa Sanpaolo. In France, Societe Generale won 6.70% and 5.48% of BNP Paribas.In New York, the Dow Jones lost 1.57% to 1600 GMT. The announcement by U.S. President Barack Obama plan to further reduce the deficit of 3.000 billion, financed half by an increase in taxes for the rich, did not produce any relief.

Teleconference postponed

Very worried, the markets awaited the outcome of a conference between the Greek government and the Troika representing the country's creditors, namely the European Commisson, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the IMF. First scheduled for mid-day, the conference was delayed about 16h, after the close of European stock. "The quarterly audit of the troika is decisive. If the IMF decides to exit the process, the risk of default of the country will be very large," said Cyril Regnat, an analyst at Natixis.

A default of Greece "is not a working hypothesis" in the euro area, however, assured the French minister of Finance Baroin. Greece must at all costs to demonstrate that it meets its budget commitments, the only way to obtain payment of the next round of international loans. "This is not a working hypothesis, it is not our strategy," he said on the sidelines of a meeting with his counterparts from the African franc zone in Paris. "Our strategy (…) is to operationalize the agreement of July 21" adopted by the euro area to come again in aid to Greece and strengthen the European bailout fund, he added. The Permanent Representative of IMF in Athens, Mr. Traa said Monday morning that additional budgetary savings will be "necessary".

"Privatization has been delayed from the program because politicians can not agree on how to proceed," he said in reference to the privatization program of 50 billion euros by 2015 that Greece is committed. "If you wait (…) the country will go to default," he warned.

"Conditions uncontrollable and painful"

Taking the worst estimates of Athens, he returned the country's return to growth in 2013, anticipating a recession of -5.5% in 2011, and -2.5% in 2012. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said that the week opened "is a very difficult week for the country, for the euro area and for me."Athens announced on Sunday that it would conduct new cost-cutting measures in 2012 to reduce the public sector.

"We must now take historical decisions, otherwise we will have to take soon in uncontrollable and painful conditions," he said, referring to the threat of insolvency of the country. The minister made it a priority "respect for the objective for 2011," involving corrective action of 1.8 billion euros, to enable the country to continue to meet its commitments, including "a primary budget surplus in 2012" . Mr. Venizelos nevertheless felt that Athens should not be used as "scapegoats" facing the "lack of competence in managing the debt crisis" in the eurozone.

As a result of concerns around Greece, the euro Monday accentuated its decline against the dollar: towards 1600 GMT, the euro bought 1.3633 dollars against 1.3797 dollars on Friday night. The price of an ounce of gold fell 3%, investors withdrawing from the yellow metal to cover losses in other markets.

Interparfums, which Tuesday reported a sharp increase in operating profitability in the first half, think revise upward its forecast for annual sales through the backlog of the new Burberry fragrance line launched this fall.

The designer perfumes under license for luxury brands like Lanvin, Van Cleef & Arpels (Richemont Group), Montblanc or Paul Smith, saw operating profit climb 21% to 26.0 million in the first half, for a record margin of 16%, against 14.3% a year earlier.

The company had already published its sales in late July, marked by a sharp slowdown in the second quarter due to lower sales of old lines of Burberry.

"The current order book of Burberry Body prompted us to significantly strengthen our media budgets on the end of the year, which should lead us to revise upwards our goal of annual sales," says CEO of the company, Philippe Benacin, said in a statement.

Interparfums had said in late July to build on annual sales of 350 million euros, after 306 million in 2010, with the launch of new fragrance called Burberry "Burberry Body".

This launch is crucial for Interparfums which carries more than half of its sales with the Tartan brand, generate significant advertising spending will weigh on profitability in the second half.

The stakes are high for Interparfums because the English brand of ready-to-wear, famous for its trench coats, intends to change the dimension in fragrance with a line she has high expectations.

Burberry has also, until the end of the year, an option to buy back its license, an event previously considered unlikely by management of Interparfums.

The company pursues a strategy of diversification, however, thanks to new licensing agreements signed with Jimmy Choo, Boucheron and Balmain, which allows him to ease the burden of Burberry in its turnover.

Net income rose 33% to 17 million euros.

Wall Street recorded its third consecutive Monday up, taking off after several weeks of volatility in favor of optimism about an early resolution of the debt crisis in the euro area and the acquisition of Motorola Mobility by Google .

The Dow Jones Industrial 30 gained 1.90% or 213.88 points at 11,482.90 points. The S & P-500, wider, took 25.68 points, or 2.18% to 1204.49 points.The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 47.22 points for his side (1.88%) to 2555.20 points.

From the highest of the year reached in April 2009, the S & P 500 is still lagging down about 12%.

"The market has become what technical analysts call oversold for about a week and we are seeing a rebound from these levels," said Kevin Caron, an analyst at Stifel, Nicolaus & Co.

The progression of the day, however, was in volumes lower than those observed on average last week.

The title of the mobile phone manufacturer Motorola Mobility jumped 55.82% to 38.13 dollars after Google announced a tender offer at $ 40 share, valuing the company at $ 12.5 billion (8 , 7 billion).

Google, which is the largest acquisition ever, has earned a share of choices on the smartphone market with its Android operating system, fitted to almost 50% of the combined media worldwide.

But the group suffers from a lack of intellectual property in the wireless telephone in response to Apple's iPhone.The action Google has sold 1.16% to 557.23 dollars.

Also in the area of ​​mergers and acquisitions, Bank of America acquired 7.93% to 7.76 dollars after announcing the sale of its credit cards in Canada and a similar disengagement in the world.

The financial sector has displayed one of the best sector performance, with a gain of 3.24%.

Time Warner Cable has in turn announced the acquisition of cable operator Insight Communications to Carlyle for three billion dollars in cash.

The title of the media group ended down 0.75%.

These operations have somewhat overshadowed the announcement of a contraction in manufacturing activity in August in the New York area for the third consecutive month, the index standing at Empire State -7.72 -3.76 in July after .

Which also supported the rating, it is the expectations of benefits to the crisis of a scheduled meeting Tuesday between Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel.

But Berlin and Paris have ruled Monday that the question of the possible creation of bonds issued jointly by the countries of the euro area (Eurobonds) was discussed at the third meeting between French president and German Chancellor in the space of two months.