France
Unions call for action at the Bank of France
Following the French central bank's announcement of plans for a radical reduction in the number of its branches, unions representing staff at the Bank of France have called for strike action from Monday.
Bank of France pressed to close down branches
The Bank of France is considering a drastic overhaul of its extensive presence throughout the country, closing the bulk of its 211 branches. The sharp cutbacks in the bank's activities are proposed in a report handed in to Jean-Claude Trichet, the…
France may introduce 'super-regulator'
On Wednesday the French government proposed a series of measures aimed at restoring confidence in the country's stock market, including the creation of a financial super-regulator and a tightening of controls over the accounting profession.
Trichet trial - Prosecution begin summing up case
On Wednesday the prosecution prepared to conclude their case in the trial of Jean-Claude Trichet, governor of the Bank of France, for his alleged role in covering up the true losses of Credit Lyonnais in the early 1990s.
Banque de France may cut jobs
The secretary-general of the French central bank (Banque de France) will present unions with the results of two reports into the bank's network of subsidiaries and the future of its clients on 7 February.
French bank chief trial enters key week
The trial of Bank of France governor Jean-Claude Trichet on false accounting charges enters a key phase this week as state prosecutors prepare to make their closing statements, with Trichet's job as next president of the European Central Bank (ECB)…
France warned over stability pact violation
France's intention to effectively ignore the EU's stability and growth pact brought warnings on Wednesday to stop challenging the rules underpinning the euro, or risk causing long-term harm to the credibility of the single currency.
Trichet casts loans blame on ex-minister at trial
French central bank governor Jean-Claude Trichet claimed on Wednesday that former finance minister Pierre Beregovoy ignored a series of warnings over risky loans which almost brought down the then state-owned Credit Lyonnais bank in the early 1990s.
Bank of France chief Trichet takes stand at trial
Bank of France Governor Jean-Claude Trichet, the would-be president of the European Central Bank, testified for the first time on Monday in a financial scandal trial that could rule the 60-year-old Frenchman out of the top job at the ECB.
France's Chirac - Duisenberg must be out by 9 July
French President Jacques Chirac has made clear to top European officials that he does not want European Central Bank President Wim Duisenberg to stay in office any longer than his scheduled summer leaving date of 9 July.
France threatens to ignore deficit cut warning
France on Tuesday defied the European Union's economic rules by suggesting it may not abide by an official order from the other governments to reduce its deficit sharply in the next four years. One finance minister said France's threat not to comply with…
G7 postpones 2-day meeting in Paris
The Group of Seven (G-7) finance ministers and central bank chiefs have postponed a two-day meeting in Paris scheduled to open 31 January, France's finance ministry said Thursday.
Trial of French bank chief suspended
The trial of French central bank governor Jean-Claude Trichet and eight others over alleged false accounting took a four-day break late Wednesday owing to problems caused by a parallel probe into the matter. The case is now expected to resume on Monday.
First victory for Trichet in fraud trial
Bank of France Governor Jean-Claude Trichet had a successful first day on Monday in the trial over his alleged role in one of France's largest ever banking scandals when the presiding judge rejected a request for the trial to be delayed by one year to…
Bank of France's Trichet begins fraud trial
Bank of France governor Jean-Claude Trichet, tipped as the next president of the European Central Bank, was due to stand trial over a decade-old banking scandal on Monday. He denies all charges.
Trichet trial will not face delay - starts January
A French prosecutor has chosen not to seek new inquiries into the Credit Lyonnais case, averting the risk of a delayed trial for Jean-Claude Trichet that could have spoiled plans to make him European Central Bank chief next July, a lawyer said on…
Duisenberg wants to be succeeded by 'clone'
After the recent shake ups in central bank presidencies we now hear that ECB chief Wim Duisenberg has said a clone of himself would be the best choice to succeed him next year. Jean-Claude Trichet of France is the frontrunner.
Trichet on monetary policy in 2003
SPEECH - In the speech 'Monetary policy in 2003' Jean-Claude Trichet of the Bank of France said it seems that the contribution of European countries to the economic prosperity of Europe at large might be sometimes underestimated, but the relative…
ECB worried inflation hasn't slowed with economy
The European Central Bank is concerned that inflation in the euro zone hasn't slowed as much as growth has this year, Chief Economist and Executive Board member Otmar Issing said in a newspaper interview.
New e-cash system in France
Regulators following the development of e-commerce will be interested to learn that the revolutionary electronic cash system for small transactions that has been tried out in several French provinces since 1999 went live in Paris in November.
French drive for securities regulator
FRANCE - The debate over whether Europe should have a single securities regulator continues as Paris based Eurofi, which has close links with the French government, plans to publish proposals based on a poll of financial services companies.
EU disciplines Germany over deficit, warns France
BELGIUM - The European Commission publicly censured Germany and France over their budgets on Wednesday, saying Berlin would exceed EU deficit limits this year and Paris risked following suit next year.
French urge Britain to speed entry to the euro
FRANCE - The French government has made a private plea to senior British MPs to speed British entry to the euro, promising flexibility in negotiations on the terms of British entry.
Bank of England is model for 'new' ECB
FRANCE - The path towards Britain's possible entry into the euro will be made much easier by a radical French plan for the European Central Bank to be reformed in the image of the Bank of England.