France fears 'economic war' over Renault technology leaks

[CHIMO]

The French government today said it was the victim of an "economic war" after Renault, the partially state-owned car maker, suspended three top executives over suspected leaks of secret electric car technology.

The French industry minister, Eric Besson, told French radio: "The expression 'economic war', while often outrageous, is for once appropriate here." He said the case illustrated "the risks our companies face in terms of industrial espionage, and economic intelligence".

Renault has launched the biggest industrial espionage investigation in its history. The three executives were escorted from their offices at Renault's technical centre outside Paris on Monday. They had been under investigation for months over breaches of "ethics". Renault has revealed little detail but the French media has named the three executives. They include Michel Balthazard, a senior member of the management committee for 30 years, who had access to highly sensitive material about Renault's cars of the future. Another suspended manager worked exclusively on electric cars.

Renault said today that the investigation concerned people in "strategic positions" who had "consciously and deliberately put at risk company assets".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jan/06/france-renault-economic-war-fears

Some not very knowledge people in the French government. What do they think that the intelligence community and the military are there for?

[RandomThoughts]

1. To educate the people without secrecy.

So that if what they do is correct, the people can go with them, and if they are wrong, they can be shown wrong.

[DCKit]

2. Will this technology theft result in affordable electric cars for all?

Please watch "Who Killed the Electric Car".