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[1/4] U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark A. Milley holds a news conference on the day of a NATO Defence Ministers' meeting at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium June 15, 2023. Milley was speaking after a meeting of the U.S.-led Contact Group of some 50 countries that give military aid to Ukraine. Austin noted the group had already given Patriot, IRIS-T and NASAMS air defence systems that had protected Ukraine from Russian missile attacks. "I ask that the members of this Contact Group continue to dig deep to provide Ukraine with the air defence assets and munitions that it so urgently needs to protect its citizens," Austin said in opening remarks. Later in the day, NATO defence ministers met separately with Reznikov to discuss their support for Kyiv.

Persons: Mark A, Milley, Yves Herman BRUSSELS, Kyiv's, It's, Mark Milley, Lloyd Austin, Austin, We'll, Oleksii Reznikov, Reznikov, Phil Stewart, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Joint Chiefs, NATO Defence Ministers, REUTERS, U.S, Ukraine, Russian, Joint Chiefs of Staff, NATO, Group, U.S . Defense, IRIS, Washington, Kyiv, Ukrainian Defence, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Ukraine, U.S, Russian, Kyiv

☆ Renault's Mobilize in talks with European retailer to provide charging boxes for EV
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PARIS, June 14 (Reuters) - Renault's (RENA.PA) new Mobilize unit is in advanced talks with a major European retailer to provide charging boxes for electric vehicles, a Mobilize spokesperson told Reuters on Wednesday. The spokesperson was confirming comments made earlier by chipmaker STMicroelectronics (STMPA.PA). Frederique Le Greves, CEO of STMicro France, had told the VivaTech conference in Paris that this would the first contract for the Mobilize PowerBox, developed by Software Republique, a tech partnership that counts Renault and STMicro among its members. Reporting by Gilles Guillaume, Writing by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Benoit Van OverstraetenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: chipmaker STMicroelectronics, Frederique Le Greves, Gilles Guillaume, Dominique Vidalon, Benoit Van Overstraeten Organizations: Reuters, Software Republique, Renault, Thomson Locations: STMicro France, Paris

While food inflation has become a concern for European governments from Britain to Italy recently, France has been among the most aggressive in pushing price cuts. In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has imposed mandatory price cuts on some basic food items. But food prices still were up 14% last month after a record spike of almost 16% in March. Food prices surged after food companies and big retailers agreed in March to an average 10% increase in prices, responding to a surge in input prices the previous year and wages after Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, the food industry has seen profits surge, largely making up for sharp falls during the pandemic, Le Maire said.

Persons: Bruno Le Maire, Le Maire, BFM, Viktor Orban, Maire, Knorr, Kraft Heinz, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Leigh Thomas, Richa Naidu, Silvia Aloisi, Hugh Lawson, Mark Potter Organizations: Food, Unilever, Finance, Reuters, Ministry of, Nestle, Danone, Pepsico, Thomson Locations: PARIS, France, Britain, Italy, Hungary, Ukraine

☆ EU ministers seek long-stalled migration deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Gabriela Baczynska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A tentative deal on the table comes after years of damaging feuds between EU states since their cooperation collapsed in acrimony in 2015 as more than a million people - mostly fleeing the war in Syria - arrived across the Mediterranean. "We can only handle migration together as the whole EU." CAMPSFor nearly a decade, EU countries traded blame for handling new arrivals. On Thursday, the ministers will also discuss EU aid for Tunisia, which is a gateway for African migration to Europe and faces growing instability. Bad blood spilled over as eastern EU countries like Poland and Hungary refused to host anyone from the mainly-Muslim Middle East and North Africa.

Persons: Nancy Faeser, France's Gerald Darmanin, Benoit van Overstraeten, Bart Meijer, Alexander Ratz, Kristina, Gabriela Baczynska, Mark Potter Organizations: Home, European Union, Liberal, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Syria, Spain, Tunisia, Europe, Italy, Greece, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, East, North Africa, EU, Budapest

☆ France stabbing: Four children wounded in Annecy knife attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] French soldiers secure the area after several children and an adult have been injured in a knife attack in Annecy, in the French Alps, France, June 8, 2023. REUTERS/Denis BalibouseANNECY, France, June 8 (Reuters) - A Syrian national wounded four young children and an adult in a knife attack in a park in the southeastern French town of Annecy on Thursday, police said, and some of the victims were in critical condition. The wounded children were aged between 22 months and 3 years, they said. Witnesses said at least one of the children wounded in the attack was in a stroller. "Nothing more abominable than to attack children," National Assembly speaker Yael Braun-Pivet said on Twitter.

Persons: Denis Balibouse, Gerald Darmanin, Emmanuel Macron, Witnesses, Ferdinand, BFM, George, Yohan, Macron, Yael Braun, Pivet, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Geert De Clercq, Juliette Jabkhiro, Silvia Aloisi, Toby Chopra, Frances Kerry Organizations: REUTERS, Denis Balibouse ANNECY, Syrian, Reuters, Twitter, Lake, Thomson Locations: Annecy, French, France, Syrian, Lake Annecy, Reims

☆ Proposed EU migration deal needs to be improved, German minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, June 8 (Reuters) - EU countries could reach an agreement on a migration deal on Thursday, but the proposed compromise needs to be improved, Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said before a meeting with ministers from the EU bloc. "The compromise on the table is very difficult for Germany," Faeser said. "I feel there is a common understanding which could lead to an agreement, but not at any price." Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Benoit Van OverstraetenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Nancy Faeser, Faeser, Bart Meijer, Benoit Van Overstraeten Organizations: Germany's, EU, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Germany

☆ Safran confirms talks with Raytheon over flight control assets
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The logo of Safran is seen outside the company's headquarters in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France, January 2, 2019. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File PhotoPARIS, June 5 (Reuters) - French aero engine maker Safran (SAF.PA) said on Monday it was s in discussions with U.S. aerospace company Raytheon Technologies (RTX.N) for the potential acquisition of certain flight control and actuation activities, confirming earlier media reports. As appropriate, detailed information on a possible transaction would be given in due course," Safran said in a short statement. Safran shares ended down 1.3% at 137,24 euros on the French stock market while Raytheon shares were up 0.4% at around 15:40 GMT. Earlier, Bloomberg reported that Safran was in talks with Raytheon over flight control assets for a deal worth one billion dollars.

Persons: Safran, Gonzalo Fuentes, SAF.PA, Benoit Van Overstraeten Organizations: REUTERS, French, Raytheon Technologies, Raytheon, Bloomberg, GV, Thomson Locations: Issy, Paris, France

PARIS, June 5 (Reuters) - France said on Monday it will provide 2.9 billion euros ($3.10 billion) in state aid to help support an investment of 7.5 billion euros that chipmakers STMicroelectronics and GlobalFoundries (GFS.O) are making to build a semiconductor factory in Crolles, southeastern France. The 2.9 billion euros are part of the 5.5 billion euros package France has set aside for its investments in the microchip sector by 2030, he added. On April 28, STMicroelectronics and GlobalFoundries secured EU approval to build the Crolles chip factory with French state aid. France overall aims to create 10,000 new jobs in the semiconductor sector by 2030. ($1 = 0.9352 euros)Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Benoit Van OverstraetenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bruno Le Maire, GlobalFoundries, Dominique Vidalon, Sudip Kar, Benoit Van Overstraeten Organizations: Finance, European Union, EU, America, Thomson Locations: France, Crolles, United States, U.S

☆ Remy Cointreau keeps outlook as annual profit beat forecasts
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, June 1 (Reuters) - French spirits group Remy Cointreau (RCOP.PA) reported a higher-than-expected rise in operating profit for its 2022/23 fiscal year and stuck to its cautious prospects for this year. The maker of Remy Martin cognac and Cointreau liquor reiterated a prediction of flat organic sales in financial year 2023-2024, with steady profitability, to reflect weaker U.S. demand and high year-ago comparables. This beat expectations for a 14.4% rise in a company compiled consensus of 18 analysts. Already reported group sales were 1.55 billion euros, marking an organic rise of 10.1%. ($1 = 0.9084 euros)Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Benoit Van OverstraetenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Remy Cointreau, Remy Martin, Dominique Vidalon, Benoit Van Overstraeten Organizations: Thomson Locations: China, United States

"All allies agree that Moscow does not have a veto against NATO enlargement," Stoltenberg told reporters as NATO foreign ministers gathered in Oslo, seeking to dispel any signs of discord ahead of the summit. At the Vilnius summit, NATO leaders aim to send a strong message of support to Kyiv. But with only six weeks to go, pressure is building for allies to find common ground on what exactly to offer Ukraine. Lithuania's Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said Kyiv had suffered two invasions while waiting for an answer from NATO for 14 years. "Ukraine needs to get a clear path, and the next steps, on how to enter NATO," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Gabrielius Landsbergis, Margus Tsahkna, Annalena Baerbock, Luxembourg's Jean Asselborn, Sabine Siebold, Gwladys Fouche, Terje Solsvik, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Bart Meijer, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Alezander, Boldizsar, Bart H, Meijer, Ros Russell Organizations: NATO, Kyiv, Ukraine, Lithuania's, Estonian, Thomson Locations: OSLO, Moscow, Ukraine, Vilnius, Oslo, Moldova, Kyiv, Europe, United States, Germany, Russia, Estonian, Luxembourg, Hungary, NATO, Brussels, Alezander Tanas, Chisinau, Olena, Budapest

☆ NATO ready to deploy even more troops to quell unrest in Kosovo - Stoltenberg
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] Italian members of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) stand guard behind wire fencing, in Leposavic, Kosovo, June 1, 2023. REUTERS/Ognen TeofilovskiOSLO, June 1 (Reuters) - NATO is prepared to deploy more troops to Kosovo to quell violence in the ethnically polarized north, the alliance's chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday, adding that the first 700 reinforcement troops are on the way there. NATO decided to boost its 4,000-strong mission in the region with 700 additional troops after 30 of its KFOR peacekeepers and 52 ethnic Serb protesters were hurt on Monday. Stoltenberg called the violence against NATO troops "totally unacceptable" and said allies were readying more troops in case NATO needed to send additional reinforcements to the region. Reporting by Sabine Siebold and Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Bart MeijerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Sabine Siebold, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Bart Meijer Organizations: NATO, Kosovo Force, KFOR, REUTERS, U.S, Thomson Locations: Leposavic, Kosovo, Ognen, OSLO, Oslo, Kosovo's, Serbs, Pristina, Belgrade, EU

☆ EU's Breton: TikTok still a long way from EU rules compliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, May 19 (Reuters) - EU industry chief Thierry Breton said on Friday he had recently spoken with TikTok Chief Executive Shou Zi Chew and told him there was still a lot to do for the Chinese-owned social network in order to comply with EU rules. Various Western countries including Britain, the United States and several European Union member states have already restricted the use TikTok over security concerns. The EU last month singled out 19 large online platforms, including TikTok, which will be subject to the Digital Services Act (DSA), a set of new online content rules from August. The rules require the companies to do risk management, conduct external and independent auditing, share data with authorities and researchers and adopt a code of conduct. A few months ago, Breton had already urged TikTok to bring its business in line with the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA).

☆ ECB policymakers promise more hikes to beat inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"The essence of the effort has been done, although there will probably be a few more rate hikes," Villeroy told French broadcaster Radio Classique. Villeroy explained Thursday's smaller rate increase by saying higher rates were beginning to have an effect on inflation. And two ECB surveys also published on Friday showed economists had cut their inflation forecasts for this year and the next - to 5.6% and 2.6% respectively - and that companies were moderating the pace of price hikes. The ECB aims to bring inflation back to 2% by 2025, "maybe even by the end of 2024", he added. "We will keep rates high for a sufficiently long time to get inflation back to 2%," the Lithuanian central bank chief said.

☆ France to uphold electricity price caps until early 2025, finance minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, April 21 (Reuters) - France's cap on electricity price hikes will stay in place beyond 2023 and likely be phased out over a two-year period, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Friday, arguing power prices haven't "normalised" yet. "Electricity prices haven't returned to normal, so we will take a little more time to withdraw the price cap. I give us another two years until early 2025," Le Maire told broadcaster LCI in an interview. Le Maire, however, said the government will likely end similar household price caps for natural gas at the end of 2023, because gas prices have lowered significantly in recent months after spiking in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In addition to a 15% price hike limitation on energy tariffs, the government has also pressured retailers to guarantee affordable food prices.

☆ Allies move to bolster Ukrainian tank forces ahead of counteroffensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Ukraine has pressed its allies for long-range weapons, jets and ammunition ahead of a counteroffensive to push back Russian troops that is expected in the coming weeks or months. Abrams battle tanks will arrive in Germany in the coming weeks for Ukrainian troops to begin training, U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters. NATO member states and their allies have provided Ukraine with weapons and armour, but Ukraine's leadership has repeatedly asked for more powerful weapons and quicker supplies. "The Russians are cautious to come into Ukraine because of the effective use of the Ukrainian air defense system. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban poured cold water on Ukraine's NATO prospects, simply tweeting "What?!"

☆ NATO's Stoltenberg reaffirms Ukraine to eventually join alliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

RAMSTEIN, Germany, April 21 (Reuters) - All NATO allies have agreed that Ukraine will eventually become a member of the alliance but the main focus now is to ensure the country prevails against Russia, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday. Speaking ahead of a meeting of the Ukraine defence contact group at Ramstein air base in Germany, he also told reporters that, once the war in Ukraine ends, Kyiv must have "the deterrence to prevent new attacks". Reporting by Benoit Van Overstraeten, editing by Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Credit Agricole and Worldline plan French payments business
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, April 19 (Reuters) - Credit Agricole (CAGR.PA) and payment services company Worldline (WLN.PA) have begun exclusive talks to set up a joint venture to provide payment services to businesses and their customers, they said on Wednesday. The joint-venture, slated to be fully operational by 2025, would be majority owned by Worldline and fully consolidated in the payments company's accounts, they said. It will involve an investment of 80 million euros, shared equally between Worldline and Credit Agricole, they said. Credit Agricole has a target to increase sales stemming from payments by 20% by 2025. The French bank previously had a "strategic partnership" focused on payments with German group Wirecard, which filed for insolvency in 2020.

PARIS, April 18 (Reuters) - French shipping group CMA CGM (CMACG.UL) is offering 5 billion euros ($5.48 billion) for the logistics unit of Bollore, the family-run conglomerate said on Tuesday. For Bollore a deal would mean cutting ties with its biggest business while offering cash-rich CMA CGM a chance to bolster its bid to offer end-to-end transportation services and supply chain management. Bollore said in a statement that it had agreed to enter into exclusive talks with CMA CGM until May 8. CMA CGM, privately controlled by the founding Saade family, has seen its earnings surge in the past two years on high freight rates and saturated supply chains. Bollore, run by the family of billionaire Vincent Bollore, sold its Bollore Africa Logistics business last year to shipping company MSC Group for 5.7 billion euros.

☆ European Parliament backs reform of EU carbon market
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

STRASBOURG, April 18 (Reuters) - The European Parliament voted on Tuesday to approve sweeping reforms to the European Union's carbon market, which are expected to hike the cost of polluting in Europe in the coming years and cut CO2 emissions faster. The reforms would cut the supply of carbon permits in the market faster than planned, phase out free permits for industries by 2034 and gradually bring the shipping sector into the carbon market, starting in 2024. The Parliament approved the changes with 413 votes in favour, 167 against and 57 abstentions. The reforms were agreed by negotiators from the European Parliament and EU countries last year. They still need final approval from EU countries, due in the next few weeks, to enter into force.

☆ Renault strikes battery deal with Verkor for premium EVs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, April 13 (Reuters) - Renault (RENA.PA) on Thursday announced a long-term commercial partnership with French start-up Verkor for the supply of electric batteries with an overall capacity of 12 GWh per year, including for Renault's future compact Alpine model. Under the new deal, Verkor - in which Renault started to invest in 2021 - will produce batteries for its premium Renault and Alpine models in a plant in Dunkirk, northern France. The first car using the Verkor batteries will be the Alpine C-Crossover GT, which Renault plans to start building in 2025. Asian battery producer Envision AESC will also provide batteries to the group, used in smaller and less powerful vehicles from another factory located in Douai, close to Dunkirk. Reporting by Gilles Guillaume, writing by Tassilo Hummel, editing by Benoit Van OverstraetenOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ France's Macron announces water saving plan, says protests will not stop reforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/6] French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to members of the media as he visits Savines-Le-Lac, South Eastern France, March 30, 2023. With the water plan, Macron and his government are looking to move to other topics. "There are protests, but it does not mean everything must stop," Macron said. Before his speech, Macron told reporters that protests would not stop him from adopting new policies. In some towns, half the water is lost to water leaks, with a nationwide average of 20%.

☆ Veal calves should not be isolated in pens after birth, EU says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Marine Strauss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, March 29 (Reuters) - Veal calves should not be kept in individual pens during their first weeks of life in order to improve animal welfare, according to the EU Food and Safety Authority (EFSA). A newborn calf is usually removed from his mother immediately or a few hours after birth. Every year more than 300 million farmed animals spend all or part of their lives in cages, pens or stalls, according to advocacy group Compassion in World Farming. "Separating the cow and her calf and confining the newborn in an individual pen causes great and prolonged distress to both," Compassion in World Farming said in a statement. Current EU law allows for calves to be removed soon after birth to be shut into an individual pen for up to 8 weeks.

☆ Airbus drops offer for stake in Atos unit, shares tumble
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, March 29 (Reuters) - Airbus (AIR.PA) has decided not to make an offer for a minority stake in Atos' soon-to-be spun-off division Evidian, sending shares in the French IT firm down more than 15%. Its shares plunged on Wednesday after news that Airbus was dropping out of the Evidian deal to close 16.75% lower. "Atos takes note of Airbus' decision to no longer pursue the discussions it initiated in February 2023," it said in a separate statement. At that valuation, a 29.9% share stake in Evidian would have a price tag of 1.2 billion euros. Atos rejected last September an unsolicited offer from rival onepoint and UK private equity fund ICG at an indicative enterprise value of 4.2 billion euros ($4.1 billion).

☆ Paris police 'very vigilant' ahead of new round of pension protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A protester walks his dog wearing a CGT labour union vest during a demonstration as part of the tenth day of nationwide strikes and protests against French government's pension reform in Nice, France, March 28, 2023. REUTERS/Eric GaillardPARIS, March 28 (Reuters) - French police are on the lookout for more protesters bent on violence joining marches against planned pension reform, the chief of police in Paris said on Tuesday, hours before a new round of country-wide demonstrations and strikes. Laurent Nunez, president of Paris's Prefecture de Police, told France Inter radio that security agencies believed more people intent on violence could join the protests and police had to be ready. "We are talking about individuals which often are being monitored by intelligence services ... and we are very vigilant about their presence," Nunez said. A total of 13,000 police agents will be deployed during the protests throughout the day, more than ever before, Darmanin said.

☆ EU reaches deal on service stations for EVs, alternative fuels
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, March 28 (Reuters) - The European Union on Tuesday reached a provisional deal on the deployment of more service stations for cars running on electricity and alternative fuels as the bloc seeks to reduce the carbon footprint of its transport sector. "The agreement will send a clear signal to citizens and other stakeholders that user-friendly recharging infrastructure and refuelling stations for alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, will be installed throughout the EU," Andreas Carlson, the Swedish minister for infrastructure and housing, said in a EU statement. He added it was the bloc's aim to make more recharging capacity available on the streets in urban areas as well along the motorways. EU energy ministers are set to give final approval later on Tuesday to end sales of new CO2-emitting cars in 2035, after Germany won an exemption for cars running on e-fuels. Reporting by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Tassilo HummelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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