As a supplier of information technology services for FRANCE 98, EDS daily demonstrates its powers of anticipation and capacity to resolve complex issues as it implements the information systems essential to the running of the World Cup. All this, and more, can be discovered by customers and potential customers of EDS France in the news magazine "J moins", launched by EDS to coincide with the run-up to the football World Cup. This 8-page bimonthly publication with a circulation of over 2,000 takes readers behind the scenes and offers them a peek at the type of technology deployed by EDS for this great event. It also gives them a tour of the company's complete range of expertise in the distribution of consumer goods.

Hardly a stationery position!

The French Organising Committee for the 1998 World Cup and the Guilbert company have signed a partnership contract making Guilbert an "Official Equipment Supplier to FRANCE 98". French market leader in the provision of office supplies, Guilbert has a pan-European profile with subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and Belgium. It posts revenues of more than FF 5 billion and has 4,000 employees on its books, including 1,500 in France. By the terms of the partnership agreement, Guilbert will be providing the French Organising Committee offices at the ten venues with office material.

"Training" for FRANCE 98

The World Cups success will depend in no small measure upon the effectiveness of transport links. By the terms of the agreement signed on 24 April, the SNCF (French national railway network) has become an Official Equipment Supplier to FRANCE 98 and commits itself to ensuring the smooth running of all trains for the delegations, media representatives and thousands of spectators who will be coming to France from around the world in 1998. Thanks to the wide scope of its network, the SNCF will be the best means of transport for most supporters arriving at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Satolas, and Geneva airports, as well as those coming direct on the Eurostar from England, with Thalys from Belgium, the Netherlands or Germany, or from other European countries. To get from one city to another, SNCF customers have a wide choice of TGV (high speed) services. To improve access to the Stade de France at St-Denis, two new stations are under construction and due to open in January 1998 on R.E.R. (commuter) lines B and D. The World Cup is well and truly on track !

And then they were eight

On 6 May, Jean-Charles Inglesi, President and Chief Executive Officer of the petroleum gas company Primagaz, and Jean-Marc Schaub the Managing Director of Primagaz France, signed a partnership agreement linking Primagaz with FRANCE 98. As the European leader in liquefied petrol gas, Primagaz sells more than 3 million tonnes of butane and propane under the "Viff" name, and boasts an ever-expanding national L.P.G. motor fuel station network. Sports sponsorship is actually nothing new to Primagaz, which already has commercial affiliations in sailing and hot-air ballooning. Following in the footsteps of the hotel group ACCOR, RATP (Paris metropolitan area rail network), the Frisquet company, the Arjo-Wiggins Group, the Lafarge Group, Guilbert and the SNCF, Primagaz is the eighth official equipment supplier to team up with FRANCE 98.

Stamp-collecting : 4 new issues

La Poste, the Official Mail Carrier of the 1998 World Cup, is about to issue four new stamps in the FRANCE 98 philatelic programme. The first, a generic World Cup stamp, was issued at the end of 1995, followed by stamps featuring Lens,Toulouse, Montepellier and Saint-Etienne in June 1996. Four more World Cup host cities stamps have now come out: Lyon, Nantes, Paris and Marseille, as standard stamps, of course, but also in the form of pre-stamped envelopes and collectors' items like philatelic inserts and first-day-issue envelopes. The programme will be completed by the Bordeaux and Saint-Denis stamps, as well as a surprise stamp slated for issue in 1998. All in all, the programme will be a real treat for stamp-collectors and for those who want souvenirs to remember a very special event!

The gold and silver of FRANCE 98

The complete gold and silver coin set collections minted for the 1998 World Cup were presented to the public for the first time on 29 April in Paris. The coins, which were all designed by artist-engravers Joaquim Jimenez and Sylvain Bret, portray the Official FRANCE 98 logo on the reverse side along with the coins face value, while the obverse side features a variety of footballing themes from 1930 right up to the 1998 World Cup, which France has the honour to host. As the number of coins issued internationally is to be limited, the Paris Mint has devised a subscription system, together with credit payment terms, for a set of three: "Silver", "Prestige" and "Grand Luxe". (caption) : From left to right : Noël de Saint Pulgent (interministerial delegate) , Emmanuel Constans (Coin and Medal Director), Jacques Lambert (Managing Director of the CFO) and Joaquim Jimenez (engraver).