Zimbabwe's government plans to introduce a law that "indigenous Zimbabweans" must own 51 percent of foreign companies operating in the country. All firms worth over 337,000 euros would be subject to the rule contained in draft legislation.

Zimbabwe's economy has been disintegrating for years. The situation is largely due to land reform started in 2000 which removed white farmers from their land.

In 2007, legislation was passed designed to transfer control of companies, including banks and mining firms, to black Zimbabweans. The new government of national unity, which came to power in February this year, undertook to show more flexibility on the issue.