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The amendments to the Finnish Companies Act (see International Financial Law Review, August 1996, page 56) and certain related legislation were ratified in February 1997 and due to come into effect on September 1 1997.

Treasury Ministry Decree No. 703 of November 21 1996 setting out the criteria to be followed by the management of pension funds with regard to investments and the limits on investments and derivatives transactions has been published in the Official Gazette and is now in force.

At the end of 1995 the Danish parliament decided that the rules on the rights and duties of of the management of financial institutions (insurance companies, banks, stockbroker firms, pension funds and so on) should be harmonized and, where appropriate, tightened. In February of this year, the Ministry of Economy, which now encompasses the Financial Supervisor, submitted its proposal on the matter to other ministries and interested bodies for comment.

Ken Mildwaters, group legal and trade marks director of Guinness PLC, talks to Diana Bentley

Foreign investments

The Economic Expansion Incentives (relief from income tax) Act provides a range of income tax incentives to encourage investment and industry in Singapore, particularly in the engineering and technology sectors. Since the Act was passed in 1967, it has been amended from time to time to clarify and broaden the tax incentives available to various industries.

In response to the sluggishness of the Czech capital markets, the government has launched a series of legislative initiatives with the aim of creating a more stable and transparent environment for investors. Accordingly, the Czech capital markets have been undergoing major changes. However, whether the hoped-for results will materialize remains to be seen.

The Provisional Regulations Banning Entrance into the Securities Industry were promulgated on March 3 1997. The Regulations outline various securities violations for professionals working in the securities industry, including the following:

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has proposed guidelines for the establishment of a government-owned Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation (HKMC) that will purchase residential mortgage loans from banks in Hong Kong. The objective of this new corporation will be to provide necessary mortgage funding for an anticipated shortfall of HK$788 billion (US$102 billion) by 2005. The HKMC will be structured as a limited liability company with a financial secretary as the chairman of the Board of Directors responsible for appointing other directors of the Board.

A liberalization of US Federal Reserve rules on the securities activities of bank holding company affiliates could be a window of opportunity for foreign banks. By Nancy Jacklin of Clifford Chance, New York