Photo Gallery Hostile Advances
Countries like France and Spain go to great lengths to stop foreign companies buying up their national champions. But Germany's takeover laws make it easy for firms in other countries to launch hostile takeovers against healthy German companies. German construction company Hochtief is currently the subject of one such takeover attempt.
The German government isn't planning to do anything to change the situation. German Economics Minister Rainer Brüderle considers such takeovers an example of the free-market economy at work.
France makes use not only of political pressure, but has also created its own legal requirements for government intervention. Foreign corporations must secure approval from Paris before they can take a stake in French companies that are active in any of 11 key industries. France recently fended off Siemens' attempt to take over sections of the conglomerate Alstom.
