Just as a one man cannot replace an orchestra3 billion has some similarities with EurotunnelThe acquisition of Tele2 France by SFR was confirmed yesterdayYou have closed your year end tax of AprilAvéo is a network of 27 concessions created in 2008The Mayor and Pascal Viné Bruno no longer exitA very juicy system and obviously leads to swelling of the coststhe use of public funds for priority spendingA case in a country still largely urbanizedCurrently I agonize the Union I saw riseOperations snail in autumn 2004 and September 2005 fuel deposits blockages appear to belong to ancient history. Since a few months, motor carriers are no longer speak of them. A little higher that expected, the economic growth made out, this year, the crisis in which they sank four years. Merit comes back them in part. To the strong reduction of volumes of activity in 2005, combined with a significant increase of diesel, companies have had choice to streamline their fleet of vehicles and to abandon less profitable traffic.
The return of growth, this remediation allowed them to benefit from the imbalance between supply and demand to optimize their trucks filling of rates increases, estimated at 2 by the credit insurer Euler Hermes SFAC for 2006. At the same time, firms have seen their cash to improve significantly. On the one hand, legislation passed last fall imposed reduction of payment delays to 30 days while they were often so far of more than 70, or 80 days. On the other hand, carriers have benefited from the refund of VAT on tolls unduly paid to the companies of motorway between 1996 and 2000. According to calculations made by professionals, about 350 million euros should them be returned a total of by the end of the year.
Result, the loss experience of the sector, which had high points in 2003 and 2005, began its recession. " "On the first 8 months of the year, the failures are down 15.8 over the same period of 2005," Florian Delbarre, sector Advisor on Euler Hermes SFAC transport details. Operating margins, which will pack each year more, straighten. "3 In 2001, they fell to 0.9 in 2005 but should go back between 1 and 1.1 in 2006 if the trend continues up to the end of the year," continued the specialist.
The weight of diesel
But the positive effects of the cyclical upturn stop there. Because it has failed, far from it, reverse, or at least stop the substantive sector trends. The margins have never been as low, rolled by still higher loads. On the year, the diesel invoice should still increase by 7.3 on average and fuel remain permanently at a high price level. "However, it represents 21 of the turnover," notes Euler Hermes SFAC. Similarly, the salaries, booming these last years pursuant to an agreement of branch ( 3 in 2005, 5.4 in 2004), still could be pressure on the rise, under the effect this time labour shortages.
"Two years ago, we had estimated the needs of the profession to 30,000 drivers." The recession of 2005 has masked the problem. "With the return of growth, it arises again, but still more serious manner", says Alain Bréau, co-Chair of Transport and logistics of France (TLF). These additional factors known, has come this year the increase in motorway tolls paid by companies. They have undergone head-on the consequences of a European directive imposing Highway corporations do not grant them rebates greater than 13, at the time when these companies recently privatised, decided to increase their tariffs.
"In total, this represents this year an increase in 1-3.5 of the costs of doing business", said Gilles Mathelié-Guinlet, national Secretary of the employers ' organisation Ur. To absorb all of these costs, "price increases by at least 5 per year would be necessary", believes the head of TLF. Or Chargers may not hear it, they have already made a major effort on the terms of payment and can find rates less high among foreign operators. Because the burst of activity in 2006 allowed French companies to share market on their European counterparts. On international routes, the decline of the Habs, a former Pavilion, continues to increase year after year. Before even the entry of 10 new countries into the Union in May 2004, the French carriers does realized that 28 of the inflow in France and 34 of the flow exiting. The domestic field, they abandoned little by little their positions. Last year, domestic transport was already guaranteed to 28.6 by companies foreign flag, compared to 21.9 ten years earlier.
Facing their European competitors, the national players can compete, disabled by a heavier taxation and specific social arrangements. The internal tax on petroleum products (TIPP) exceeds thus 16 average taxes on fuel for the Europe of twenty - five. However, regularly reminds the FNTR, a variation of 1 of the TIPP of one country over another entails a loss of 3 points for the taxed market share. In social matters, the France, which displays one of the highest minimum wages in Europe, is also adversely affected by the level of social charges and regulation of working time on productivity. It provides employees plus compensation of 25, or even 50, on overtime, which some are not necessarily used to conduct, and countervailing duties, non-existent rest abroad.
Harmonization soon to come
"In France, about 20 of the time do not match driving time", assesses Gilles Mathelié-Guinlet. The transposition of the directive on working and rest time, carried out in autumn 2004, while a little reduced gaps between countries, but without touching the count of the hours or the toil. Gold on these various issues, harmonization soon to come. Brussels certainly has launched two consultations, one on access to the profession and to the market, in which it treats including cabotage, which covers internal transport operations carried out by committed carriers on international routes, the other on the harmonisation of professional diesel fuel. But, long-awaited, this harmonization will take several years, if it succeeds in its purpose. "It is question of 2018 to finalise the reconciliation of professional diesel tax rates," said Jean-Paul Deneuville.
In France, carriers can no longer turn to the State, at least for the moment. After trying, unsuccessfully, to escape to the refund of VAT on tolls, the Finance Minister, Thierry Breton, stopped all current discussions, including relief from social security, which could give a little bit of competitiveness in the business French, either by supporting the major drivers (as wished the FNTR), either by easing burdens on other hours that the conduct (as proposed by TLF). The weapon of negotiation with the unions of employees, claiming salary increases, to correct a grid that places a number of classifications below the SMIC now remains to professional organizations.
Such adjustment of the remuneration would probably attract new vocations, but the employers do not want to hear if it is not discussed on this occasion of the Organization of work and rest time. The unions are for the time being hostile. But more bleeding companies and a sub-activity threatening employment, they could not long have the choice.
