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Mid-sized Singapore firm Colin Ng & Partners is adding to its international links. The firm already has a foreign office in Shanghai, and is soon to add offices in both Jakarta, Indonesia and one in Beijing.

International Financial Law Review understands that Bureau Francis Lefebvre and Briones, Alonso & Martin, leading firms, particularly in the tax field, in France and Spain respectively, have agreed a merger of their Spanish operations. The two will link formally on October 1 1997. The move is likely to be seen as a defensive reaction to the J&A Garrigues/Arthur Andersen merger in Spain, which puts particular pressure on tax firms. A full report on this merger will appear in the October issue of the magazine.

Coudert Brothers has announced it is to incorporate Montreal firm McDougall, Caron into its international network. The move into Canada is rare for an international US law firm and is the first US foray into Quebec. The firm has opened new offices in Berlin, St Petersburg and Denver in the last two years.

The short-term prospects for foreign lawyers in the Japanese legal market are addressed in an official report due out this year. Rob Dwyer listens to both sides of an increasingly acrimonious debate about the place of international firms in a Japan undergoing its financial ‘big bang’

A recent case reaffirms the Australian principle that lenders are entitled to calculate losses on a no-transaction basis after some negligent valuations, despite conflicting English decisions. By Francesca Rush of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Brisbane

Cyprus has attracted offshore enterprises from almost 100 countries, and in the past few years Europe has been the main source of new company registrations. In the first half of 1997, 79.2% of the registrations originated from Europe, 12.9% from America, 5.5% from Asia, 1.7% from Africa and 0.7% from Australia.

Legislative Decree No. 124 of April 21 1993 introduced the concept of pension funds which could be established in addition to the national compulsory pension system.

Under Swedish legislation (12:2 of the Companies Act), a Swedish company may not pay a dividend to its shareholders exceeding the free equity as shown in the most recent balance sheet adopted. Even within the free equity, a dividend may not be paid if it contravenes good business practice as dictated by the company's or group's capitalization, cash position or general financial situation.

On June 3 1997, as part of a comprehensive effort to encourage the development of the securities market, the Uruguayan Central Bank (BCU) issued Circular No. 1,549 implementing the Investment Funds Act passed by Congress on September 17 1996.

To carry out proper due diligence as required by Colombian law, the following general guidelines on corporate duties, government permits, labour matters and taxation should be followed.