This French Life

Fortnum & Mason: stop foie gras cruelty

A shocking new PETA UK undercover investigation of several farms represented by the Sarlat Perigord cooperative, from which Fortnum & Mason's distributor sources foie gras, has revealed the horrific suffering of birds.

via action.peta.org.uk

Business and the rich targeted by French budget

THE highest earners in France have been targeted by the first budget of François Hollande's government as he attempts to plug a €37 billion hole.

People earning over €150,000 now face a tax rate of 45% raising an estimated €320 million, while those earning over one million euros will be hit by a 75% bringing in around €210 million per year.

A number of tax niches have been targeted, while capital income will be treated as earned income and bring in €3 billion in 2013 to help the government attempt to cut the annual deficit to the eurozone limit of 3% of GDP next year.

The government has based its prediction upon growth in the French economy of an expected 0.8% next year, and 2% each year from 2014 to 2017. Figures that have been questioned by many.

Conseil des ministres du 28 septembre 2012
Projet de loi de programmation des finances publiques pour les années 2012 à 2017 et projet de loi de finances pour 2013.

France targets deficit with tax-hiking budget
President Francois Hollande's Socialist government unveiled sharp tax hikes on business and the rich on Friday in a 2013 budget aimed at showing France has the fiscal rigour to remain at the core of the eurozone.

France economy: On track to growth or in denial?
The factory floor of the steel plant in Florange is a hostile place to work but especially so this summer - the unions are waging war.

France budget: Hollande's grim choices
France is committed to reducing its deficit next year to 3%. If it backtracks it fears the markets would force up its borrowing costs, in the way they have done with Spain and Italy.

News stops: ArcelorMittal to shut steel furnaces

HERE is a look over some of the news headlines from France.

ArcelorMittal to shut French steel furnaces: paper
Steel maker ArcelorMittal has decided to definitively shut two idled steel furnaces in northern France, prompting the Socialist government to scramble to keep the plant operational as it battles rising unemployment, newspaper Liberation said.

France jobless number tops 3 million
French unemployment topped three million for the first time in over a decade, data showed Wednesday, as the country faces a yawning budget gap like those plaguing its southern eurozone neighbours.

French 'supertax' will make it harder to recruit talent, says L'Oreal boss
Jean-Paul Agon says François Hollande's plan for 75% tax on earnings over €1m will hit France's competitiveness.

French parliament head under fire after taking on wife as assistant
The head of France's parliament faced embarrassment after it emerged he had taken on his wife as his assistant on the day he launched a crackdown on MPs expenses.

Paris car show opens amid gloom on key European market
The Paris Motor Show opens with the automobile sector in crisis mode amid deep gloom over the future of the European market, key to the survival of several top manufacturers.

Brittany Ferries cancels Channel services until next week

IN an announcement Brittany Ferries has said that with the exception of its Poole to Cherbourg link, all sailings are now cancelled until the morning of Tuesday, October 2.

Strike action by French staff has forced the ferry firm to cancel crossings in the western Channel between the UK, France and Spain.

But despite continued talks between ferry bosses and unions, the news that the vast majority of services will be brought to a halt until next week is bad news for passengers, and an expensive decision for Brittany Ferries.

Brittany Ferries has said that P&O Ferries and MyFerryLink have agreed to accept Brittany Ferries tickets between Calais and Dover.

You do not need to contact Brittany Ferries, all you need to do is present your booking reference at check-in to travel with P&O Ferries or MyFerryLink free of charge.

A link between Poole and Cherbourg, which is operated on Brittany Ferries' behalf by Condor Ferries, is still running but with very limited availability.

Car and home insurance costs set to head up

IF your car or home insurance is due for renewal in the next few months you might want to double check the cost compared to previous years.

It is feared that 2013 will herald the third consecutive year of premium increases, and whilst insurance companies won't provide details of the new rates until November, price rises are expected.

Le Point reports that car insurance premiums will see an average increase of 1.5% to 2%, while home insurance rates could increase by around 3%.

These rates of increase are a little down on previous years, but the upward trend continues due to more expensive compensation claims and car repairs.

So it may well be worth taking the time to check the prices of alternative providers instead of just sticking with your existing company upon renewal.

French parliament tightens belt, a bit

THE French parliamentary budget is to be frozen for five years and MPs' expenses are to be cut by 10%, steps that will form a small part of the attempt to fill the €30 billion budget gap.

National Assembly president Claude Bartolone, who is from the Socialist party, said that parliamentarians had to lead by example, with greater transparency and that 'not a euro more' will be spent on the National Assembly's budget.

With €30 billion in savings needed to meet France's requirement to reduce the public deficit to the EU limit of three percent of GDP next year, much belt tightening is set to be announced.

Other steps outlined include the end of first-class train travel for MPs, no more business-class travel for flights under five hours and the parliamentary car fleet will now include hybrids and electric cars.

But there might not be too much sympathy for parliamentary members, as they currently receive €6,412 a month for expenses in addition to a net salary of €5,189.

Data watchdog wants assurances from Facebook

THE French government has asked for clarification from Facebook after reports that private messages appeared in public on users' timelines.

The data authority in France, Commission Nationale de l'informatique et des Libertés (CNIL), has asked for an update saying that it has long campaigned for personal data to be fully protected.

Facebook replied it doubted that messages appeared in public, saying its engineers investigated these reports and found that the messages were older wall posts that had always been visible on the users' profile pages.

Update: Watchdog satisfied Facebook data not leaked

More talks but Brittany Ferries strike continues

CONTINUED industrial action by Brittany Ferries' staff has meant their fleet is stuck in ports on the French side of the Channel, with still no date for a resumption of services.

Talks have taken place between management and unions representing French workers, who are unhappy with working terms and conditions.

But with crossings suspended indefinitely, Brittany Ferries is only able to advise passengers to travel to Dover or Calais and use alternative ferry companies to cross the Channel.

Autumn book sale for SOS Help

THE English language helpline service, SOS Help, is holding a fund raising event in Paris so you can stock up books for winter.

Paperbacks are only €1 and hard covers are €2, with a wide selection on offer including many general fiction titles, as well as young adult and children's books.

If you have books in good condition to donate you can bring them along on the day as well.

The sale takes place on Sunday, October 21 between noon and 4pm at Orrick Law Offices, 31 avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, 75016 Paris (map).

SOS Help is an English speaking crisis line in France, it is open from 3pm to 11pm daily and can be reached on 01 46 21 46 46.

Hollande sees popularity tumble, with a tough week ahead

WELL that was quick, but the honeymoon period is certainly over for François Hollande as just 43% of French voters said they were happy with the Socialist president.

Four months on since his presidential election victory, the poll by the Ifop organisation for the Journal du Dimanche registered a drop of 11 percentage points on the August reading.

And it is one of the worst popularity levels for a leader in more than 50 years since the start of the fifth republic.

The slide in the popularity of François Hollande comes ahead of a potentially troublesome week for the president as the budget for 2013 will be announced on Friday.

So between now and then you can expect to see news stories on the possible measures set to be announced as the government looks to tackle a €30 billion hole with spending cuts and tax rises.

The Ministère de l'Economie et des Finances will be the online destination to keep an eye on for the official line.