"The government is out of the woods", as Le Parisien, Aujourd'hui en France on Saturday. According to the newspaper, Eric Woerth, Minister of Labour, is about to finalize the report of government policy on pension reform. A "document of step" with a score of pages should be sent to unions and employers late Sunday afternoon, within the time allowed by Nicolas Sarkozy.

The president had asked last Monday, his Minister of Labour announcing the broad principles of pension reform "early next week." A complete overhaul of the system seems already excluded. "If many doors remain open, one or two tracks will be closed by some claimed," confirmed the Ministry of Labour today in Paris, France.

Employment of older people will be at the heart of the reform, the newspaper said.The Government would consider special measures "in human resources and working conditions" to ensure increased employment rate of older workers. Longer working hours and thus, delaying the age of retirement seem to have largely favored the government.

Especially in its latest report released Tuesday, the Board of Retirement Guidance (NRC) has evaluated several scenarios to fill the "hole" of pension funds, which should reach 30 billion euros in 2010. All sought to delay the moment of retirement.

Operate the lever tax

Another sensitive issue for the unions, the contribution period required for a full pension should be extended. In return, Eric Woerth has recently influenced his opposition to tax the lever to secure "additional revenue".Raising the CSG on capital income and savings, increased levy on high income … Several ideas are in the process of arbitration, as the Journal du Dimanche.

Eric Woerth will begin next Tuesday a new series of meetings with leaders of trade union confederations and employers' organizations. Last April, they unveiled a ambitious reform agenda: first tracks in May, major decisions in June, Council of Ministers in July, and passage in Parliament in September.

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