The Local France

Unemployment rate hits 9.8%

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:18:00 +0100

France's unemployment rate came close to 10 percent in the final quarter of 2011, reported national statistics agency INSEE on Thursday.

Weight loss drug killed at least 1,300: study

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:16:00 +0100

Mediator, a drug licensed for use by diabetics that became widely prescribed in France as a slimming aid, "probably" caused at least 1,300 deaths before it was withdrawn, a study published on Thursday said.

Jobless rate up again in December

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:48:00 +0100

Unemployment rose in December to its highest level since November 1999 with the number of registered jobseekers up by 29,700 to reach 2.87 million.

Job summit ends with €429 spending plans

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:26:00 +0100

A four-hour crisis jobs summit chaired by President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday ended with a series of measures as well as plenty of criticism.

Sarkozy calls crisis job summit

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:24:00 +0100

President Nicolas Sarkozy is gathering union and business leaders together on Wednesday for a crisis summit on the country's unemployment situation.

Unemployment highest for twelve years

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:30:00 +0100

The number of job seekers in France rose again in October, taking figures to a 12-year high.

Jobless total highest for over ten years

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:40:37 +0200

Unemployment was up by 26,000 in September, taking the jobless figure to 2.78 million, a rise of 0.9 percent on the month and 3 percent on the year.

Jobless total shows first fall in three months

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:49:25 +0200

The French government's main measure of unemployment fell slightly in August, with 2,000 fewer job seekers than July.

Unemployment rises for third straight month

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:09:00 +0200

The number of job seekers in France was up again in July for the third month in a row. Unemployment is at its highest level for over ten years, the employment ministry announced on Thursday evening.

Opposition slams government anti-fraud moves

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:01:19 +0200

French politics usually takes a break in August, but a row has blown up over tackling benefit fraud. The government has proposed stricter monitoring of claimants while the opposition has accused ministers of political posturing.

Working holidays for French politicians

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 10:54:00 +0200

At Monday's cabinet meeting, the last before the start of the summer holidays, President Sarkozy wished his team a "good rest" while reminding them to stay "particularly alert."

New rules to improve drug safety

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 12:52:13 +0200

Health minister Xavier Bertrand yesterday presented a package of measures aimed at tightening up the safety of new prescription drugs following the long-running scandal over the Mediator slimming drug.

French jobless rate up again in June

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 14:03:00 +0200

France’s jobless figure went up for a second consecutive month in June, rising by 1.3 percent to 2.7 million. The new figure is up 1.5 percent on the same period last year.

France's jobless figure rises in May

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:24:17 +0200

For the first time this year, the unemployment rate in France edged up in May, according to new statistics.