Growth: Fillon displays its realism
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Is credible but not to frighten. It was a difficult equation that would solve the government well aware that he must adapt its economic forecasts for 2011 and 2012, now too optimistic. The air hole world of activity in the spring, the debt crisis of July Greek and diving markets in August have persuaded it would be impossible to achieve 2% growth this years and 2.25% next year born, as previously envisaged.
"It would be irresponsible to ignore the current situation," hammered François Fillon. The government wanted to be as realistic as possible. He expects GDP growth of 1.75% in 2011, "because it takes even more cautious for next year," 1.75% also in 2012.
The deficit to 4.5% in 2012
These new figures are in line with what experts expect. Few saw growth reach the 2% this year. Even fewer were those who planned the event feasible for 2012. For next year, the forecasts of economists from banks for the time range from 1% to 2%. The Consensus Forecasts, which synthesizes a fortnight believes, anticipates 1.7%.
That market pressure, which monitor the slightest faux pas of public finances, and this downward revision of growth that led the government to provide additional savings efforts, without waiting for the presentation of the bill Finance for 2012 in late September.
The austerity measures – the government refuses to call "rigor" – will lead an effort to one billion euros this year and above 11 billion euros in 2012.This amount will break down next year, 10 billion in additional revenue and $ 1 billion of savings on expenditure. Not to mention spending another billion set aside to "deal with any contingency."
All this should enable France to reduce its public deficit of 5.7% of GDP in 2011 to 4.5% in 2012 – a final goal "a little more ambitious" than was expected previously. Enough to hold the European commitments and keep the famous "AAA" rating that allows the country to finance its debt with low interest rates.
"We are taking steps that do not break the growth (…) and strengthen the tax and social justice," said the Prime Minister.One of the most emblematic devices decided Wednesday by François Fillon and Nicolas Sarkozy is to tax the very high incomes so "exceptional" – to return to 3% deficit, is in principle in 2013.
But it will also count with a new movement of the plane 10% tax loopholes, increasing tobacco prices, higher taxes on savings and real estate gains, lower exemptions from employer contributions on overtime or a plan amendment to postpone the income tax (see below). The French now know what to expect …
