French PM Will Not Bow to Labour Reform Protestors
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls is determined not to join a long list of politicians who have conceded defeat to protesters, he told the Journal Du Dimanche (JDD) newspaper, as the government prepares to dig in its heels on labour reform. The hardline CGT union has organised street protests, train strikes and refinery blockades to pressure the government to scrap plans that would make it easier for companies to hire and fire workers.
French Fuel Supply Improving, but Crisis Continues
The fuel supply situation in France is improving, but the crisis caused by strikes is not fully over, the country's transport minister said on Saturday. "In some regions the situation is almost back to normal," Transport Minister Alain Vidalies said following a meeting with prime minister Prime Minister Manuel Valls. "In other regions we remain attentive, but we cannot say that the crisis is over".
French Labor Seeks to Strangle Energy Supply Chain
The hardline CGT union sought to tighten its grip on France's energy supplies and transport network on Thursday as its stand-off with the government over planned labour reforms continued into a day of nationwide protests. Signals were mixed, though, over how much success it was having in its bid to kill off reform plans it fears remove too much worker protection.
France Asks for Japan's Participation in Nuclear Sector Reshuffle
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Monday he proposed to his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe that the Japanese nuclear industry participate in the reorganisation of the French nuclear sector. Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd said in September it was in talks with French nuclear giant Areva and state-controlled utility EDF on possibly taking a stake in Areva's reactor-making subsidiary Areva NP.
Jaccar Inks Gas Carrier Financing Deal with ICBC leasing
JACCAR Holdings informed that Mr. Li Keqiang – Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of China - during his recent state visit to France signed Memorandam of Understanding with Mr. Manuel Valls, Prime Minister of France , for a 900 M$ financing of gas carriers with ICBC leasing. Jacques de Chateauvieux, as Chairman and CEO of Cana Tera and JACCAR Holdings…
Restructuring Areva Attracts Chinese Interest
Areva has attracted the interest of three Chinese groups in its technology and parts of its business as the loss-making, majority state-owned French nuclear reactor company restructures, Le Journal du Dimanche reported. China General Nuclear Power Corp (CGN) and China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC) are open to all forms of cooperation, including joint ventures and taking stakes in Areva, the Sunday newspaper said.
France Committed to Putting Nuclear Sector Back on Track
The French government is fully committed to putting the French nuclear sector back on track, Prime Minister Manuel Valls told parliament. He said the government's first priority was to restore the competitiveness of state-owned nuclear group Areva, but added that everything would be done to avoid redundancies at the firm, which published a 4.8 billion euro annual loss on Wednesday.
Total CEO Killed in Moscow Runway Accident
Private jet collided with snow plow during takeoff; Total's CEO a defender of Moscow policies. Insiders Boisseau and Pouyanne long seen as potential successors. The chief executive of French oil major Total, Christophe de Margerie, was killed when his private jet collided with a snow plough as it was taking off from Moscow's Vnukovo airport on Monday night. De Margerie's…
French Energy Bill Delayed until Spring 2015
The adoption of France's framework energy bill, meant to fulfil President Francois Hollande's pledge to cut the share of nuclear energy in the country's electricity mix to 50 percent, has been pushed back to early 2015. "It will be reviewed by parliament in the autumn and adopted in the spring of 2015," an official at Prime Minister Manuel Valls's office told Reuters on Friday, without elaborating on the reasons.
France to Open Up Hydropower Sector
France has decided to open up its hydropower sector to competition after years of delays and against the wishes of many Socialist MPs, former energy minister Delphine Batho said on Monday. Many utilities and big electricity consumers have expressed an interest in France's hydroelectric sector, which is dominated by former state monopoly EDF, given that the cost of facilities that can run for decades has mostly been recouped.
Siemens Weighs In As GE Prepares Alstom Power Deal
Alstom's arch rival Siemens wants talks with the struggling French engineering group, the German company said on Sunday, the day General Electric boss Jeff Immelt is due in Paris to thrash out a deal to buy Alstom's global power arm. Siemens said in a statement that it had written a letter to "signal its willingness to discuss future strategic opportunities" with the French group.
GE In Talks To Buy Alstom's Power Arm
U.S. industrial conglomerate General Electric Co is in advanced talks to buy the global power division of struggling French engineering group Alstom SA for about $13 billion, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday. Sources said a deal was backed by Alstom's main shareholder, French conglomerate Bouygues with 29 percent, and could be announced in the coming days after an Alstom board meeting on Friday afternoon.
French Energy Minister Promises 100,000 Green Jobs
Segolene Royal, appointed French energy and environment minister this month, said on Friday she planned to create 100,000 jobs in the next three years with a drive for green growth. Royal told a news conference she wanted to accelerate investment in renewable energies like wind, solar, biomass and marine energy, as well as in insulation of buildings. In coming days…
Germany: Russia will let tanks roll across borders
German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel warned on Monday of an escalation of the crisis in Ukraine, saying "Russia was clearly prepared to allow tanks to roll across European borders". Speaking at an event in Berlin alongside new French Prime Minister Manuel Valls to commemorate World War One, Gabriel urged Europe to remember the lessons of the two world wars and not take freedom and security for granted.
