Subscribe Sidel’s French production site in Octeville has been awarded the Gold Medal by sustainability assessors EcoVadis This follows a comprehensive review of its supply chain strategy at both the local and corporate-group levels EcoVadis also ranked Sidel among the top five percent of reporting companies in 2024 highlighting the company’s commitment to its sustainability practices and transparency ‘We’re thrilled to announce that we have been awarded the prestigious Gold Medal for our EcoVadis reporting,’ commented Francesca Bellucci vice president of strategy and sustainability at Sidel ‘This is a remarkable achievement that reflects our unwavering commitment to sustainability Sidel partnered with EcoVadis in 2017 to assess and improve its environmental and ethical performance as part of its new supply chain strategy EcoVadis has assessed sustainability efforts for more than 125,000 companies evaluating them across four key categories: environmental impact Sidel's latest achievement follows a comprehensive review involving more than 300 questions covering critical areas such as environmental impact ‘The evaluation was both rigorous and extensive demanding significant collaboration and commitment from our teams,’ said Armelle Biton ‘It encompassed the Sidel Octeville site and corporate-level assessments adding complexity to the process and making the final recognition all the more rewarding.’ ‘We are confident that this success will inspire us to reach even greater heights in our sustainability journey,’ concluded Bellucci Gain knowledge with articles and videos collated from Label Academy books The iconic French photographer and filmmaker releases the first of his award-winning films Jean Gaumy Magnum member Jean Gaumy’s self-titled DVD release features three of the French photographer and filmmaker’s first films Joining Magnum Photos in 1977 after being noticed at photography festival Les Rencontres d’Arles much of Jean Gaumy’s work focused on human confinement where he undertook two long projects on subjects never before broached in France: “L’Hopital” he began trips to Iran during the Iraq war until 1997 he has shot aboard a nuclear submarine and worked in Chernobyl to Fukushima The newly released DVD showcases the beginnings of Gaumy’s foray into filmography applying his often personal and poignant style to the traditional documentary format and his evolution within the realm The first film in the package is his debut production nominated for a César Award in 1986 for best documentary Previously photographing a group of women working at a fish cannery workshop he revisits them ten years on for a documentary-style film giving candid insight into their private lives and the complicity between them was shot over two years in the town of Octeville-sur-Mer a curious man who was mistakenly known as the ‘village idiot’ Having based himself there for the duration he depicts a portrait of the town through the eyes of his peculiar protagonist the film illustrates the effect of time on Marcel who was an important figure throughout Gaumy’s childhood Set out as a film about the life of a country priest it develops as a testament to the transition from childhood to adulthood Purchase the ‘Jean Gaumy’ (2016) DVD  Mar 15, 2024Workers and security personnel gather near a Barracuda-class nuclear attack submarine in Cherbourg-Octeville, France, on July 9, 2017. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)PARIS — The Netherlands has picked France’s Naval Group to build four attack submarines in a project worth €5.65 billion (U.S beating offers from Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Sweden’s Saab Kockums in cooperation with Dutch shipbuilder Damen Naval Group will provide a conventionally powered version of its Barracuda submarine to replace the Royal Netherlands Navy’s four Walrus-class attack submarines, the first of which the service retired in October The French shipbuilder will be asked to deliver the first two vessels within 10 years after signing the contract the Dutch Defence Ministry said in a statement Friday The contract will include a “substantial role” for Dutch industry, which was a key requirement, Dutch State Secretary of Defence Christophe van der Maat said in a post on X The Netherlands has embarked on a spending spree to replace its major naval combatants and in addition to the submarines it plans to start construction on more than 20 surface vessels in the next decade for an investment of more than €11 billion the Dutch were seeking an expeditionary vessel that can operate in the country’s overseas territories “The vessels offer increased strike power and enhanced operational capabilities, and will therefore be deployable worldwide for various types of missions,” Chief of Defence of the Netherlands Gen. Onno Eichelsheim said in a post on X The delivery contract will be signed after the tender assessment undergoes debate in parliament The government has faced criticism for the potential choice of Naval Group with some lawmakers saying the company would favor French jobs over the Dutch naval construction industry The choice of Naval Group will provide the Netherlands with ocean-going submarines “of the highest global standards,” the French government said in a statement following the Dutch announcement It said a French-Dutch partnership will accompany the program over the long term and help strengthen bilateral defense cooperation The Netherlands had requested proposals from the three candidate yards in November 2022 for four long-range The investment budget to replace the country’s submarine capacity is €5.65 billion through 2039 which includes a delta for exploitation and project risk reserve the Defence Ministry wrote in a report to parliament France operates a nuclear-powered version of the Barracuda class, and in 2020 the country estimated the cost of the program to build and operate six submarines in the class at €10.4 billion, up from €8.6 billion in 2010. Naval Group in July last year launched the Tourville, the third vessel of six planned for the French Navy Dutch defense forces have a constitutional obligation to protect the kingdom including its faraway Caribbean territories meaning the country requires its submarines to have long ranges and be logistically independent The existing Walrus class can operate in relatively shallow and narrow waterways compared to nuclear subs and it fulfills an “internationally appreciated niche capacity,” the ministry wrote in a March 2023 report to parliament which will allow them to also operate in shallow waters,” the ministry said because they will be larger than submarines that are designed to remain close to home base the new boats will be able to operate independently far from home for extended periods of time.” That combination of size and reach is rare and means the Royal Netherlands Navy’s submarines are “highly regarded” within NATO The four new submarines will represent a considerable improvement in design, and the ability to launch cruise missiles will “substantially” increase striking power, according to the ministry. The Netherlands plans to equip the new subs with RTX’s Tomahawk cruise missiles for a maritime strike capacity, something the Walrus class lacks. The Dutch also studied the French MdCN naval cruise missile and considered the range insufficient compared to the Tomahawk’s more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles). The ministry previously noted the Anglo-French Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon is still in development and information is lacking, though it will continue to follow developments around the FC-ASW. The new submarines will carry torpedoes, and they will be suitable for special forces operations. The vessels will be better suited for intelligence gathering due to improved sensors, while modern battery technology will give them greater energy capacity than the Walrus class, and therefore allow them to remain submerged for longer, according to the ministry. The new vessels will be named Orka (Orca), Zwaardvis (Swordfish), Barracuda and Tijgerhaai (Tiger Shark), the Netherlands said. The country is targeting delivery of the first sub in the third quarter of 2033, with the final vessel delivered in the third quarter of 2037. Rudy Ruitenberg is a Europe correspondent for Defense News. He started his career at Bloomberg News and has experience reporting on technology, commodity markets and politics. Facebook pageTwitter feedRSS feedDefense News © 2025 You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed How can France become a leader in innovation The Chips Diplomacy Support Initiative (CHIPDIPLO) is an 18-month project led by the Institut Montaigne and co-funded by the European Commission It aims to strengthen Europe's semiconductor strategy in the face of geopolitical tensions Its objectives are to anticipate industrial risks coordinate member states' policies and develop international partnerships industrialists and researchers to analyze the challenges and provide recommendations to the EU CHIPDIPLO supports the EU Chips Act and promotes Europe's attractiveness for innovation and investment This report analyzes the future of the EU's Clean Industrial Deal and the place of European industry in a post-carbon world it compares decarbonization strategies and puts forward recommendations for strengthening European competitiveness Bernard Cazeneuve is a lawyer and holds a Master's degree from the Political Studies Institute of Bordeaux he worked in several ministerial cabinets: as technical advisor to the Secretary of State for International Cultural Relations as chief of staff to Alain Vivien (Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs) and as chief of staff to Charles Josselin (Secretary of State for the Sea) He was elected general councillor of Octeville in 1994 followed by mayor of Octeville (1995-2000) and won the legislative elections in the 5th electoral district of the Manche in 1997 the communes of Octeville and Cherbourg merged and he became mayor of Cherbourg-Octeville (2001-2012) he was also President of the Cherbourg Urban Community he served as First Vice President of the Basse-Normandie Region Alongside his duties as an elected official Bernard Cazeneuve was appointed judge of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Justice of the Republic (1997-2002) he was chosen as one of François Hollande's four spokespersons he was nominated Minister Delegate for European Affairs then Minister Delegate for the Budget on 19 March 2013 Bernard Cazeneuve was then appointed Prime Minister by François Hollande until the resignation of the government on 10 May 2017 He subsequently joined the law firm AUGUST DEBOUZY as a partner he chairs the board of directors of Sciences Po Bordeaux and teaches a course on "France facing challenges in the fight against terrorism" at Sciences Po Paris Bernard Cazeneuve is married and has two children he was decorated with the rank of Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit of the Kingdom of Spain by King Felipe VI he was awarded the Cross of Grand Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by the German Minister of the Interior Thomas de Maizière He was awarded the rank of Commander of the Legion of Honour by decree of President Emmanuel Macron on 12 July 2017 own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 provides funding as a member of The Conversation FR View all partners But does France have the capacity to defend Europe Would the deployment of the French nuclear umbrella in Eastern Europe make Europe strategically autonomous giving it the means to defend itself independently France originally developed its nuclear arsenal in response to the threat of Soviet invasion and to avoid any dependence on the US According to a stable doctrine that political leaders regularly reaffirmed the state [would use] its strategic arsenal by air and submarine in the event of an attack against its vital interests But the fact remains that without US support, the balance of power appears largely unfavourable to France, which has a total of 290 nuclear warheads compared to at least 1,600 deployed warheads and nearly 2,800 stockpiled warheads on the Russian side A weekly email in English featuring expertise from scholars and researchers. It provides an introduction to the diversity of research coming out of the continent and considers some of the key issues facing European countries. Get the newsletter! the explosive power of thermonuclear warheads combined with the range of the French M51 strategic sea-to-land ballistic missile would make it possible to destroy the main Russian cities These scenarios recall the spectre of adversaries destroying enemy cities in a piecemeal atomic exchange in which Russia could rely on its vastness to win through attrition This potential for reciprocity must be kept in mind amid the mutual bet of nuclear deterrence To boost the impact of French nuclear deterrence, a partnership could be envisaged with the United Kingdom London now only has ballistic missiles launched by submarine and has decided these two European nuclear powers are not equivalent which is a member of NATO’s nuclear planning group and whose warheads are designed in the US France produces its weapons on its own territory and is not subject to any NATO obligations This gives Paris a great deal of leeway in defining its doctrine France can also speak on behalf of the European Union of which it has been a part since its creation contributing to the overall security of the transatlantic alliance by complicating the calculations of potential adversaries Merz’s call for the French nuclear umbrella to extend to Germany aligns with Paris’s proposal to establish a dialogue involving Europeans in a common approach As France’s defence minister has pointed out the precise definition of vital interest is up to its president the use of nuclear weapons to protect Europe requires a strategic discussion to define the power to be acquired the interests to be defended and the method of nuclear fire command Dogma about what constitutes a sufficient arsenal must also be questioned If 290 nuclear warheads represent the value that France places on defending its existence this price seems to neglect the scale of the European continent and logic confirms it: continent-sized nuclear powers such as the US and Russia – and soon China – are deploying an arsenal of around 1,000 thermonuclear warheads Ramping up power would take time and require a budgetary effort to increase the number of missiles and carrier aircraft. In addition to the construction of new infrastructure in European partner countries, the cost could exceed €10 billion per year not including indirect costs related to maintenance and logistics especially since the political and strategic offer of extended nuclear protection evolves according to circumstances Until now, Germany preferred that France assume a role that was simply complementary to the extended deterrence of the US, but Washington’s threatened abandonment of Ukraine increases the Russian threat France could respond by proposing the pre-positioning of its nuclear forces in Eastern European countries with the idea of eventually replacing the US This French nuclear umbrella would give concrete form to European strategic autonomy through the deployment of nuclear-capable combat aircraft a sign of European political solidarity that would make Moscow’s calculations more difficult The visible presence of these aircraft in Eastern Europe could prevent Russia from attacking countries in the region with conventional means as such an attack could provoke a French nuclear response on behalf of Europe This article was originally published in French Retail the Finadorm Group (France Literie) notified the Autorité de la concurrence of its plan to acquire sole control of the CDL Group (La Compagnie du Lit) The Finadorm Group is active in the manufacturing and distribution of bedding products through a network of 94 stores and located throughout mainland France operated under the "France Literie" banner The CDL Group is active in the distribution of bedding products through a network of 93 stores also located in mainland France operated under the "La Compagnie du Lit" banner in the upstream markets for the supply of bedding products The acquirer is also active as a supplier in these markets The acquirer and the target are also simultaneously active in the downstream market for the distribution of high-end bedding products The Autorité was able to rule out any competition concerns resulting from the transaction on the upstream markets for the supply of bedding products and on the downstream markets for the distribution of high-end bedding products at the national level given the moderate market shares of the new entity in these markets the Autorité considered that the transaction raised risks of harm to competition in the Cherbourg-Octeville area (50) given the very high market share of the new entity and the absence of a sufficient alternative offer after the transaction Finadorm has committed either to divest the business owned by the target Cherbourg-Octeville or to terminate the brand licence agreement concluded by the acquirer concerning the France Literie store also located in Cherbourg-Octeville Finadorm has also committed to seek an alternative solution for the company currently holding the concession contract with a competing franchisor active in the distribution of high-end bedding products These commitments will remove the overlapping activities between the parties and give competing brands the possibility to strengthen their presence or establish themselves in the area concerned and thus compete more effectively with the new entity This takeover must be approved by the Autorité which will ensure that the purchaser is independent of the new entity and that it is able to provide a credible alternative for the distribution of high-end bedding products it will have to be active in the market for the distribution of high-end bedding products An independent divestiture trustee approved by the Autorité will ensure the implementation of the commitments Children attend a lesson in a classroom of a primary school New editions of textbooks in France will look a little different You'll see the word ognon rather than oignon The many-legged insect will be known as a millepattes France is removing the hat-shaped accent known as a circumflex in some cases For example: the word for "to train" will be spelled s'entraine The spelling changes apply to around 2,400 French words, and The Guardian reports they're mean to "simplify them for schoolchildren." But the move has "brought accusations the country's Socialist government is dumbing down the language." French headlines quickly picked this up: "The Death of the Circumflex" and "Farewell to the Circumflex, Spelling Reform Will Be Applied in September," to name a few Social media users launched an angry campaign using the hashtag of #JeSuisCirconflexe ("I am circumflex") a nod to the #JeSuisCharlie campaign following the deadly shootings at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris last year But France is not completely hanging up its circumflex chapeau As the BBC reported, "France's education minister has said the changes will not culminate in the end of the circumflex and that old and new spellings will both remain correct." The well-loved accent will be optional on the "i" and "u" but will generally remain atop the "a" and "o", as well as in several other uses, France's Le Monde reports. The spelling changes were approved by the Académie Française in 1990 and then generally ignored advice from the education ministry suggested the new spelling rules were 'the reference' to be used the changes were mentioned again in another ministry document about 'texts following the spelling changes .. approved by the Académie Française and published in the French Republic Official Journal on 6 December 1990.' Again The difference now is that the changes will actually appear in school books Here are a few other words that are changing in the new textbooks, via TF1: Maîtresse will become maitresse (mistress) Porte-monnaie will become portemonnaie (purse Des après-midi will become des après-midis (afternoons) Become an NPR sponsor but the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) first Flying Ace of the Second World War wasn’t from Britain – he was from New Zealand Edgar “Cobber” Kain earned quite a reputation for himself in the short time he fought overseas during the Battle of France Edgar James Kain was born in New Zealand on June 27 he was interested in athletics and seldom in academics he attended Christ’s College in Christchurch he could see Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) pilots as they went out on training missions Kain worked toward earning his pilot’s license He began his training in a de Havilland Tiger Moth and it wasn’t long before he earned his license Kain traveled to England to apply to the Air Ministry for a short-service commission his blood pressure had skyrocketed during the trip over and he failed his medical examination he passed and was sent for a 10-week training course Just prior to completing the necessary work he was asked whether he wanted to be trained further in fighters or bombers – he chose the former Kain was accepted for a short-service commission as an acting pilot officer in March 1937 he was already an extremely proficient flyer who was able to complete complex acrobatic maneuvers although he was often told off for performing them too close to the ground In November 1937, Kain was assigned to No. 73 Squadron RAF, first flying the Gloster Gladiator, before converting to the Hawker Hurricane Mark I he earned himself the nickname “Cobber” – New Zealand slang for “friend.” Although he had a number of small accidents, Edgar Kain was promoted to flying officer in July 1939. When the Second World War began a month later On September 8, 1939, the pilots were deployed to Le Havre – Octeville Aerodrome in France, where they acted as air support for the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Although they were within reach of the enemy, they had very little contact with the Germans during this period, which became known as the Phoney War Kain scored the first aerial victory for his squadron and the Dominion pilots He pursued the German light bomber and shot it down over the village of Lubey but it wasn’t until March 1940 that Kain earned himself another accolade Kain continued flying missions throughout France as the Germans launched their blitzkrieg on France 73 Squadron RAF was placed right in the middle of it It didn’t take long for Kain to increase his kill count. He shot down three enemy aircraft between May 10-12 However, seeing constant action while a heavy barrage of enemy aircraft try to shoot you down takes its toll. Edgar Kain was stood down on May 22 and sent back to England as his commanding officer could see he was growing increasingly agitated This break from the fighting didn’t last long, as the Battle of France was too crucial and Kain was one of the few remaining pilots of No According to most records, by the beginning of June 1940 Kain had shot down 17 German aircraft As he’d flown consistently with little rest he was given an order on June 6 to return to England as soon as replacements arrived 73 lined up at Échemines airfield to see him off “‘Cobber Kain’ You Inspired Our Little Nation More from us: Operation Copperhead Was Almost Compromised By A Drunk Bernard Montgomery Lookalike word of his death spread quickly around the Commonwealth Rosemary Giles is a history content writer with Hive Media She received both her bachelor of arts degree in history and her master of arts degree in history from Western University and Canadian history with a specific focus on the Second World War she worked in a variety of research positions She also worked as a teaching assistant in the History Department she has decided to take a step back from academia to focus her career on writing and sharing history in a more accessible way With a passion for historical learning and historical education her writing interests include social history especially researching obscure facts about the Second World War Rosemary enjoys spending time with her partner linkedin.com/in/rosemary-giles 2021Workers of the Naval Group plant in Cherbourg-Octeville gather during a visit by then-Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and French Defence Minister Florence Parly in 2017 (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)Editor’s note: This story was updated on March 31 to reflect that Naval Group plans to reach the figure of 2,000 Australians employed in Adelaide over the next 10 years PARIS – Naval Group is set to become “a Franco-Australian” company CEO Pierre-Eric Pommellet said in the wake of a contractual commitment to spend at least 60 percent of the contract value for Australia’s 12 new Attack-class submarines in the Commonwealth Last week Naval Group’s long-standing commitment to maximize Australian content in the design and build of the Attack Class submarines was signed into the Strategic Partnering Agreement meaning that it is now a contractual obligation that will be measured over the life span of the program Speaking to journalists in a videoconference on Tuesday “We aim to have 2,000 Australians employed in the Adelaide area in 10 years and there will be many more including some who will come to work here in France.” “Australia is massively investing in its naval industry and a supply chain is being created,” Pommellet explained He had said during his visit to Australia in February that the submarine program would “also create a new and sovereign submarine building industry in Australia Strong local supply chains will ensure that Australia has new self-reliance in this critical defense capability.” More than 120 Australian companies have already registered their interest with Naval Group to become tier-one capability partners in the program. Christina Mackenzie was the France correspondent for Defense News. Training at Guildhall School of Music and Drama Nyman’s appeared in films since the start of the millennium including noteworthy performances in Dead Babies and portraying a freedom fighter during World War Two in Uprising a black comedy where he took the Best Actor award at the Cherbourg-Octeville Festival of Irish & British Film he’s starred in the Judy Garland biopic Judy as Dan also lending his voice to the Minions in animated films including Minions and Despicable Me 3 Nyman is also one of the country’s finest magicians and illusionists He’s worked with Derren Brown on his televised and West End productions co-writing and co-directing four of Brown’s stage shows including Enigma and Something Wicked This Way Comes winnng an Olivier Award for Best Entertainment in 2006 In 2019, audiences were spooked by the terrifying tales in Ghost Stories once more, as the play was performed at the Lyric Hammersmith and a West End transfer at the Ambassadors Theatre Fiddler on the Roof21 March 2019 - 2 November 2019 Sign up to our mailing list to receive cast announcements new show ticket alerts and exclusive offers You can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy  May 7, 2018Workers gather near Suffren, a Barracuda-class nuclear attack submarine in Cherbourg-Octeville, northwestern France, on July 9, 2017 (Charly Triballeu/AFP via Getty Images)PARIS ― France is to acquire a fifth Barracuda nuclear attack submarine the Armed Forces Ministry confirmed in a May 7 statement The decision was made during a May 2 ministerial investment meeting held by Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly told the parliamentary defense committee in October he expected the fifth boat to be ordered in 2018 The draft 2019-2025 multiyear budget law includes funding for six Barracuda boats, of which four are due to be delivered by 2025, the ministry said. The Barracuda will be armed with naval cruise missiles and be capable of deploying special forces while underwater. Delivery of the Suffren, the first-of-class Barracuda, is due in 2020, some three years late. 2017Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull meets workers of the Naval Group at a plant in Cherbourg-Octeville Charly Triballeu/AFP via Getty ImagesPARIS — The French company Naval Group has reported a doubling of orders for the first half of 2017 thanks to a French order for an intermediate frigate program and the Australian submarine fleet has left the naval shipbuilder following differences with Chairman Hervé Guillou afternoon daily Le Monde reported April 21 “This departure comes at the worst time as the treaties that will bind France and Australia for 50 years are being put in place,” Le Monde reported [Navies must focus on auto EW systems to survive hypersonic missiles, says expert] A spokesman for Naval Group declined to confirm the media report. Naval Group is prime contractor on the AUD $50 billion (U.S. $40 billion) Australian Future Submarine Program, with Lockheed Martin supplying the combat system integrator. The company has appointed Jean-Michel Billig as director of the Australian submarine program, the spokesman said. That appointment is due to come into effect in the next few days. Billig previously worked at Zodiac Aerospace, an aircraft equipment supplier being acquired by Safran. Orders to June 30 rose to €2.61 billion (U.S. $3.05 billion) from €1.26 billion a year ago, bringing the total order book to €12.5 billion, the company reported July 21. The boost in orders includes the nuclear attack submarine and upgrade of the La Fayette frigate for the French Navy, services, equipment, the intermediate frigate and the Australian submarine initiative, the company said. Operating profit climbed 90 percent to €84.7 million from €44.6 million, lifting the operating profit margin to 5 percent of sales from 3.1 percent. Sales rose 21 percent to €1.7 billion, helped by domestic work on the multimission frigate, Barracuda nuclear attack submarine, maintenance on nuclear attack and ballistic missile nuclear submarines, and midlife upgrade of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. Net profit climbed 34 percent to €59.9 million from €44.6 million. The outlook for 2017 is “continued improvement of profit and operating profitability,” with a 10-15 percent rise in net profit compared to a year ago, the company said. “A slight increase” in sales is expected. Naval Group appointed de Bailliencourt two and a half years ago as the effective No. 2 to the chairman, according to specialist publication Mer et Marine. De Bailliencourt specialized in international sales and played a key role in Naval Group winning last year the Australian tender for the Future Submarine Program. The company announced last month a change of name to Naval Group from DCNS in a bid to break from its past as a French arsenal dating back to 1624 and help boost its chances of winning international deals. “By taking on the new name of Naval Group, we are reaffirming our international presence, not only to conquer new markets, but also to enhance our profile to attract talents (sic) and develop the loyalty of our employees,” Frank Le Rebeller, executive vice president for finance, procurement and legal, said in a statement with the results. The French €3.8 billion frigate order comprises five intermediate frigates, with a first warship to enter service for the French Navy in 2025.