"Political leaders should give an answer in principle tomorrow afternoon (the EU)," he told reporters Panos Beglitis, spokesman for the Greek Socialist Party ( PASOK) on Sunday.

They will then discuss the plan of the troika (International Monetary Fund, European Commission and European Central Bank) at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Lucas Papademos.

"There will be a meeting of political leaders chaired by Papademos tomorrow afternoon," said Beglitis. 

The chief minister said for his part that the various managers of the government coalition have agreed on a reduction in public spending by an amount equivalent to 1.5% of GDP this year.

This includes measures to reduce salaries and benefits costs to make the Greek economy more competitive, he added.

He also confirmed the meeting of heads of coalition parties on Monday to conclude negotiations on the second aid package of 130 billion euros to be implemented by the mid-March to avoid a collapse of public accounts. 

The two main Greek unions called for a 24-hour strike Tuesday to protest against austerity measures and reforms demanded by international creditors.

"We expect one-day strike on Tuesday," said Ilias Iliopoulos, general secretary of the ADEDY representing public sector employees.

"Despite our sacrifices and despite the recognition that this policy mix is ​​bad, they ask even more austerity," he added.

ADEDY and its private counterpart, the GSEE, representing about two million workers in Greece, about half of the workforce. 

BAROIN OPTIMISTIC

Creditors of Greece had requested a reduction in spending worth one percent of GDP, slightly more than two billion euros for 2012.

The negotiations on the restructuring of the Greek debt held by the private sector rose "relatively well", said his side the French Minister of Economy and Finance, Sunday .

"I think it progresses smoothly on the part of private sector involvement to be made on a voluntary basis," said Baroin under the "Grand Rendez-Vous "Europe 1-Le Parisien-i> Télé.

"We would not get away from the level at which one must move the Greek debt in 2020, that is to say around 120%," said the French minister. And "it is because we do not withdraw these objectives that the discussions are difficult," he said.

"Anyway, it's later than February 13," continued Baroin.

February 13 is the deadline posed by the euro area to launch the operation, which should bring the Greek debt around 120% of GDP in 2020 against over 160% today.

The private sector should accept a discount of around 70% of its obligations under the exchange program of the Greek debt. This will help to lower than 100 billion euros of debt of Greece.

In exchange for a loan of at least 130 billion euros by 2015, the troika of institutional creditors requires further structural reform and further reforms of austerity authority to clean up its public accounts.

Troika calls including a lowering of wages in companies and supplementary pension, which measures face many political and union resistance.

In the absence of an agreement, Greece is threatened with failure to pay on 20 March, when mature 14.5 billion euros of bonds.

Germany, France and Italy, met Thursday in Strasbourg (east), expressed their determination to secure the future of the euro, if necessary by amending the European treaties, but without affecting the independence of the European Central Bank (ECB).

The three largest economies in the euro area are determined to "do everything to support and ensure the sustainability of the euro," said the French president told reporters at the end of the tripartite summit.

Mr."We all three indicated that respect for the independence of this institution, it was not to request positive or negative" to the ECB for its part has assured the French President.

Several French officials, including Foreign Minister Alain Juppe Thursday morning, however, have called for the ECB to play "a role" to save the euro area. This role would be to buy massive debt of the countries most vulnerable to stem the continued rise in rates on government bonds of several euro area countries, which penalizes their already fragile budgets. This rate increase, a sign of the distrust of the market against the euro area, is now affecting countries like France.

"We are all three very much aware of the seriousness of the situation," said

Françoise Bettencourt-Meyers has requested in writing to become the beneficiary of some life insurance from his mother – to the tune of 93 million – "because of an agreement" with her past, said Sunday AFP to the former agent of the billionaire, Pascal Wilhelm.

Net income for the Swiss reinsurer has more than doubled in the third quarter to $ 1.35 billion (988 million) against 618 million in the comparable period in the previous year.

Swiss Re said the performance by "a moderate level of natural and unique effects positive."

Premium income rose to 5.74 billion against 5.05 billion a year earlier.

The combined ratio, a key indicator of operating profitability in the sector, however, has deteriorated to 80.8% against 76.4% last year.The combined ratio was expected at 89.7%.

The world's second largest reinsurance confirmed its medium-term objectives, for an ROE of 700 basis points above the average over five years and an average annual growth of 10% of earnings per share.

"Our financial targets in 2011-2015 reported in February 2011 is our top priority and we are fully dedicated," said CEO Stefan Lippe in a statement.

The group also expects a modest turnaround in the market but general damages, liability and accidents.

"This announcement is likely to penalize the performance of the banking sector, given the uncertainty it generates on the implementation of the Europe Agreement on Greek debt," say analysts at Natixis.

Lionel Garden, head of institutional sales at Assya Capital, believes that "the post-summit rally seems definitely over."

"Pandora's box"

"When U.S. investors will wake up, they will not like what they see. The referendum is a bad idea that falls at the wrong time. This is a big disappointment as the market hoped for unity within the euro area.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was to participate Wednesday in a crucial European summit bears the overwhelming support of the Bundestag but conditional to negotiate a strengthening of the European Relief Fund (EFSF). German MPs had to vote at midday on a "motion" filed by the government majority and the opposition, a mission order for Mrs. Merkel.

Without going into technical details, two pages of this motion pose prohibited: no way to load even more the European Central Bank, making it taste too many Germans. And not about to spend more than 211 billion euros already pledged.Before the vote, the Chancellor still had to speak before the lower house. "It will be a long day," warned the early morning spokesman Steffen Seibert, via Twitter. "We will send a strong signal for Europe", promised Wednesday to television the secretary general of the party Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Angela Merkel, Hermann Grohe.

"It is fitting that on such important issues the opposition (…) renounces the tactical game fan", it was bliss. In fact, the conservative chancellor for European affairs has a "grand coalition", which gathers around its own most conservative / liberal of the two main opposition parties SPD (Social Democrats) and Greens. The mission statement drafted by all parties, with the exception of the radical left "Die Linke", should be adopted by an overwhelming majority of 620 MPs.On 29 September already, when he acted for the Bundestag to ratify a first capacity building of EFSF, this "holy alliance" was played.

This massive vote of support will not prevent commentators to have dissenting voices in the majority, to see if Merkel was able to win without the votes of the opposition. He needs 311 votes for this account in his own camp. "Merkel needs the magic 311 votes to go heads up in Brussels," commented Wednesday Der Spiegel in its Internet edition. Otherwise, the Bundestag to hands-free Merkel to leverage the lending capacity of EFSF (440 billion), based on two options: to fund a "credit insurance" states in difficulty, and seek external funding, such as emerging markets.

Members recognize that with this strategy, "the risk of loss can be changed" they do not want to put more money on the table, but are willing to lose the already committed. This vote confirms the increasingly important role taken by the German parliament in the European political game, to the dismay of some partners in Germany. The Constitutional Court has recently strengthened the powers of the Bundestag, by requiring the green light for decisions involving public funds in support schemes in Europe.

This is not without boondoggles: Friday, the Assembly had decided to confine the discussion of the EFSF its Committee on Budgetary Affairs. Before you turn around Monday and to convene a plenary session. "We are treading unknown territory" with respect to working with the Bundestag, Merkel agreed Tuesday, trying to recall the division of roles."These are different tasks: a government that conducts international negotiations, and the concern for parliamentary support the widest possible," she said.

Acerbic, columnist of the daily Handelsblatt stated that "the government (had) not thought about the time arrangements for informing the parliament." And parliamentarians did not realize that their new power is synonymous with extra work, "he said.

The EBIT of the company thus stood at 330 million euros for the three months to September against 244 million a year ago.Turnover increased 20% over the period.

Deutsche Boerse and NYSE Euronext have until Nov. 8 to communicate officially to the European Commission their responses to concerns in Brussels about their merger, said last week a source close to the matter.

For now, officials of the two stock exchange operators are still reading and analyzing the "statement of objections" sent to them by the Commission on October 5, it says. This release contains the objections of the EC to the merger in terms of competition.

The agreement to acquire the operator of stock exchanges of New York and Paris by the operator of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange was concluded in February.The merger will create the world's largest exchange operator.

Earlier in the day, another source said that European regulators should organize on October 27 an oral examination of the merger.

The government does not expand the new tax on soda beverages containing sweeteners such as the National Assembly proposes to finance the lower cost of agricultural labor, said Thursday the budget minister Valérie Pécresse. Asked by Canal + on the position of the State in this new provision added by the Finance Committee of the Assembly on Wednesday, the spokesman of the government remained unclear. "It is the wishes of the parliament, we will discuss. But it will be to finance the lower cost of agricultural labor," she was merely responding.The aim is to "enable our farmers to sell their products to the same price as Germany and Spain," said Valérie Pécresse.

For about half the tax, revised help reduce the cost of ongoing work in the agricultural sector, which suffers from a lack of competitiveness against many of its competitors such as Germany, Spain or Italy. The rest will include health insurance. Initially, this tax on soft drinks would bring 120 million euros and should not apply to beverages with artificial sweeteners.

The new tax on soft drinks has doubled and extended to beverages containing sweeteners Wednesday in the Committee on Finance of the Assembly, it should yield more than double, or 250 million euros.The surplus revenue to the state expected from the doubling must be used to finance a reduction in the cost of agricultural labor, said a UMP Amendment / New Centre approved in committee in the review of the draft budget 2012.

6.22 euros per hectolitre

Initially, the tax on soft drinks would bring 120 million euros and should not apply to beverages with artificial sweeteners. But "these drinks, which are not basic necessities, benefit from the reduced VAT rate. They must be able to handle the additional load generated by this new contribution," said Michel Diefenbacher (UMP) in a sub-amendment.

Currently, the wine is subject to VAT of 19.6%, while water and soft drinks are taxed at 5.5%.The rate of contribution of soft drinks will be increased to 6.22 euros per hectolitre will be increased from the beginning of 2013, to January 1 of each year, at a rate equal to inflation (excluding tobacco) of the preliminary last year. Sought by the AFP, the National Association of Food Industries (Ania) was not immediately available for comment Wednesday night the decision to expand the tax soda products with sweeteners. The Government will reduce in 2012 to 210 million payroll taxes on permanent farms in order to "improve competitiveness", Nicolas Sarkozy announced Tuesday.

In addition € 130 million from the tax on soft drinks, the exemption of social contributions of farmers on permanent employment will be funded by 80 million euros from a reduction of a tax on heating oil for professional use.The domestic consumption tax (TIC) of heating oil used as diesel fuel for professional use will be increased from 5.66 to 7.20 euros per hectolitre, as a New Centre-UMP amendment also passed Wednesday. Finally, the cost of a farm worker is expected to fall to one euro per hour, as repeatedly promised the Minister of Agriculture, Bruno Le Maire.

The announcement of the creation of the tax, 24 August, as part of the austerity plan Fillon, had angered the industry, outraged that the government justify this contribution in the fight against obesity. The French subsidiary Coca-Cola had even threatened to suspend an investment of 17 million euros in one of its plants, in the Bouches-du-Rhone, before turning back to the outcry from politicians.

The European Commission said Friday it would submit in the coming days proposals for a coordinated recapitalization which will allow to reassure markets worried about the resilience of the banking system facing the European financial and economic crisis.

They should be ready in time for the summit of the European Union and the euro area provided 17 and 18 October, which will give "a clear signal" on the subject, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Asked during a visit to Armenia, Nicolas Sarkozy said Berlin was "the proper place" to discuss these issues Sunday.

German and European sources, there are reports of disagreements between Paris and Berlin on the use of European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) to provide the necessary funds, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that between 100 and 200 billion euros .

For Germany, the appeal to EFSF, which has the capacity for intervention of 440 billion euros, should be a last resort, if the banks were unable to finance on the markets and whether their country are not able to provide them with public funds.

Receiving the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Angela Merkel reiterated that the EFSF should be activated "if a country can go it alone."

According to a German source, the French, whose banks have the highest exposure to the debt of the peripheral countries of the euro area, "misunderstood the EFSF" and want money from the European emergency fund is available to all financial institutions in need of capital.

In Brussels, a source close to the talks said that one option considered for the recapitalization of banks is that the countries of the euro "access to EFSF jointly."

"Perfect identity of views"

This idea, which has the support of France but not Germany, would avoid the "stigma effect for a particular country" and display a significant clout vis-to-market, a the source said.

The French Ministry of Economy and Finance has sought to minimize the differences between France and Germany, emerged from discussions within the Eurogroup in Brussels this week, ensuring that the issue had not yet been discussed between the two countries.

"Our position is no different from that of the Germans: it takes more capital for banks, banks must first find in themselves the resources, then if they find private investors outside and ultimately being considered injections of public capital, "it was said at Bercy.

"All this must be discussed at European level and must be coordinated, it is currently being considered," they added noting that the issue of "instruments of a possible recapitalization public has not yet been addressed."

Diplomatic sources in Brussels, it indicates that the position of France is motivated by the desire to maintain the AAA rating on its debt for fear that it is under pressure in case of provision of public funds to banks important.

"The main thing for France is its triple A and it grows as a result of the use EFSF (for the recapitalization)," said this source.

Paris does not further that the current debate among Europeans are limited to this single question.

"It will be among the topics discussed but the main thing about Greece and the euro area, since the banks is a consequence" of the current crisis, said the French Ministry of Economy about talks Sarkozy, Merkel on Sunday.

In announcing last week his forthcoming visit to Germany, the French president had indicated he intended to "continue the work of collaboration and coordination" between Germany and France to protect the euro.

There can be between the two heavyweights in the euro area "a perfect identity of views to resist speculation, to resist the excitement of the markets and to protect Europe," he stressed.