French Lawmakers Scrap Disputed Youth-Labor Contract

April 12 (Bloomberg) -- French lawmakers approved a compromise youth-labor law after they voted to officially bury a disputed version President Jacques Chirac scrapped two days ago.

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Veolia's Proglio Denies Chirac Vetoed Suez Ambitions

March 5 (Bloomberg) -- Veolia Environnement SA Chief Executive Officer Henri Proglio said he didn't cave in to political pressure from French President Jacques Chirac to abandon talks on a joint bid for Suez SA with Italy's Enel SpA.

``I wasn't forbidden to do anything,'' he said in an interview in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he is accompanying Chirac on a trip designed to improve trade ties with the world's biggest oil producer. ``I represent a private company. I don't need approval.''

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Chirac Says France Wants to End Ban on Nuclear Exports to India

Feb. 17 (Bloomberg) -- France supports ending the international ban on nuclear-technology exports to India, allowing companies such as Areva SA to supply plants to meet India's growing energy needs, President Jacques Chirac said.
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Chirac's Trip to India May Be Overshadowed by Mittal

Feb. 16 (Bloomberg) -- French President Jacques Chirac, visiting New Delhi next week, may find his call for increased trade overshadowed by the uproar over Indian businessman Lakshmi Mittal's attempt to take over a European steelmaker.
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European Economies: ECB Raises Inflation, Growth Forecasts

Nov. 30 (Bloomberg) -- The European Central Bank raised its 2006 inflation and economic growth forecasts for the 12 countries sharing the euro, a person familiar with the matter said. The bank has signaled it's preparing to increase interest rates as soon as tomorrow to keep inflation under control.
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Chirac Balks at EU Farm Cuts, Threatens World Trade Talks

Oct. 27 (Bloomberg) -- French President Jacques Chirac threatened to derail international trade talks by ruling out further cuts in European Union farm subsidies and tariffs.

With the EU under pressure from the U.S., India and Brazil to reduce 40 billion euros ($49 billion) in annual agriculture aid as part of a global free-trade deal, Chirac said France will stop EU trade chief Peter Mandelson from making new concessions.

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France's Villepin Fails to Win Converts as Jobs Plan Criticized

June 9 (Bloomberg) -- French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin's 4.5 billion euro ($5.6 billion) plan to boost hiring and economic growth failed to win converts among political opponents, who stepped up attacks on his new government.
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