Published: 09 Nov 2012 15:20 GMT+01:00 | Print version
Updated: 09 Nov 2012 15:20 GMT+01:00
Germany's so-called "Five Wise Men" of independent economic advisors dismissed media reports Friday that they have been asked by the government to draw up economic reform proposals for France.
"The German Council of Economic Experts has not been commissioned to undertake such a thing. It would not be within the council's legal remit," a spokesman for the experts told AFP.
According to the daily Die Zeit in its online edition, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble has asked the distinguished panel, which advises the government in economic matters, to examine possible reform proposals for France.
The newspaper did not reveal its sources.
In the 49 years of existence, the panel has never compiled a report on any other country but Germany.
Nevertheless, the panel's chief Wolfgang Franz told AFP: "This information is false."
"We submitted our twice-yearly economic report (to the government) on Wednesday and we had a discussion with Mr. Schäuble on the future development of monetary union," Franz said.
But he added: "We did not discuss France in particular. France is, obviously, a very important member of the European Union... but (Schäuble) didn't explicitly say anything" about France, he insisted.
France has the second biggest eurozone economy, after Germany, but tension between the two countries has increased since French President François Hollande's election in May.
French airline company Air France confirmed on Wednesday a multi-billion euro order of Airbus's new A350 planes. The planes are not yet in service and only recently carried out a test flight (see video). READ () »
A new campaign, called “Do you speak touriste?” aims to train tourism professionals in Paris to understand the cultural differences between visitors of different nationalities, and offer them a better welcome. READ () »
An elderly woman has drowned in south-western France after severe floods swept away her car in the town of Pierrefitte-Nestalas. Elsewhere, the Paris region was placed on orange alert for storms on Wednesday. READ () »
The historic Catholic pilgrimage site of Lourdes in south west France was evacuated on Tuesday after flash floods hit the area. Management at the shrine have told The Local they are growing increasingly concerned as waters continue to rise. READ () »
As a provocative new anti-smacking video campaign by the Fondation pour l'Enfance (Foundation for Childhood) causes a stir in France, the man behind the drive Dr. Gilles Lazimi tells The Local why France needs a law banning parents from smacking their kids. READ () »
French football stars Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema, went on trial on Tuesday, accused of paying to have sex with then underage call-girl Zahia Dehar. The process was adjourned until January, however, on a legal technicality. READ () »
The Eiffel Tower in Paris was evacuated by police on Tuesday after a man threatened to throw himself off the famous monument. Reports suggest, however, that emergency services personnel have succeeded in apprehending the man. READ () »
These words are not the latest outburst by notorious French basher, London's Mayor Boris Johnson, but were the opinion of Britain’s Napoleonic War hero Admiral Lord Nelson, whose outspoken views were revealed in a letter, auctioned in London this week. READ () »
A pregnant Muslim woman who was allegedly attacked in the suburbs of Paris by two ‘skinheads’ for wearing an Islamic face veil has suffered a miscarriage, it was reported on Tuesday. READ () »
A court in north-eastern France on Tuesday sentenced to jail an impersonator to French music icon Serge Gainsbourg for stabbing a rival tribute act for French rock star Johnny Hallyday, amid a bizarre feud between the pair. READ () »
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