|
Welcome
to our Hotel Network!
Your non stop hotel reservation guide for Hotels in
France. We
searched multiple suppliers for the best Room Rate available. Often
GDS (Global Distribution System) suppliers have different room rates, due
to the fact that they individually buy blocks of rooms from hotel chains.
Check
first our Last Minute &
Hot Deals where we put a Monthly update of all known LAST MINUTES! of
all Hotel Reservation Suppliers. This to get & let you informed about
all known Discounted deals in Europe!
|
|
Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France suffered
extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as a dominant
nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the most modern countries
in the world and is a leader among European nations. Since 1958, it has
constructed a presidential democracy resistant to the instabilities
experienced in earlier parliamentary democracies. In recent years, its
reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the
economic integration of Europe, including the advent of the euro in January
1999. Presently, France is at the forefront of European states seeking to
exploit the momentum of monetary union to advance the creation of a more
unified and capable European defense and security apparatus
France is in the midst of transition, from a well-to-do modern economy
that featured extensive government ownership and intervention to one that
relies more on market mechanisms. The Socialist-led government has partially
or fully privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers, but still
retains large stakes in several leading firms, including Air France, France
Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and remains dominant in some sectors,
particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. The
telecommunications sector is gradually being opened to competition. France's
leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social
equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce
income disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and
welfare. The current government has lowered income taxes and introduced
measures to boost employment, but has done little to reform an overly
expensive pension system, rigid labor market, and restrictive bureaucracy
that discourage hiring and make the tax burden one of the highest in Europe.
In addition to the tax burden, the reduction of the workweek to 35 hours,
which is to be extended to small firms in 2002, has drawn criticism for
lowering the competitiveness of French businesses. The current economic
slowdown has thrown the government's goal of balancing the budget by 2004
off track.
|
