GERMANY plans to simplify stock market regulatory reporting rules for foreign firms and improve conditions for raising capital, and hopes to woo more firms to Germany's capital markets, a senior government official said yesterday.
The German government is also gearing up for European, economic and monetary union (EMU) in 1999 with a comprehensive legal framework for the euro, Mr Jurgen Stark, state secretary for the finance ministry, said yesterday.
The role of Germany as a financial centre after currency union, targeted for January 1st, 1999, is a hot topic in a country which has long lived in London's shadow but believes it is set to take on new importance when EMU becomes reality.
Gaining access to capital markets had to be made easier, Mr Stark said, while investor confidence had to be boosted at the same time.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/VR3765MFOBH2NMV2QNICYDF67M.png)