EUROPE - Growth of “Shariah-Compliant” banking in Europe

The European Union is emerging as a major centre of Islamic finance, based on Islamic Shariah law.

The spectacular growth prospects for the Islamic financial services industry in many European countries is being fuelled by Muslim mass immigration; despite a difficult economic climate on the continent, Islamic banking is growing faster in Britain, France and Germany than it is in many Islamic countries in the Middle East and Asia.

The key role that Europe is playing in establishing Islamic finance in the West was the central theme of the 8th Islamic Financial Services Board Summit, an annual conference that promotes Islamic banking around the world. Hosted by the Central Bank of Luxembourg from May 10-13, 2011, it was the first time the event was held in a European country. (source)

OPINION - EUROPE - Islamic "Shariah-Compliant" Banking Takes Root in Europe

The European Union is emerging as a major center of Islamic finance, based on Islamic Shariah law, and which critics say amounts to "financial Jihad" by Islamists intent on Islamifying the West.

The spectacular growth prospects for the Islamic financial services industry in many European countries is being fuelled by Muslim mass immigration; despite a difficult economic climate on the continent, Islamic banking is growing faster in Britain, France and Germany than it is in many Islamic countries in the Middle East and Asia.(full story)

SWEDEN - CLIPS - SMA Islamic Finance Lecture by Dr Zaharuddin

This clip comes from the Swedish Muslim Academics (SMA) Tafaqquh fi-dDeen lecture series. This lecture titled "Islamic Finance: Fundamentals, Prospects & Challenges" was held in Uppsala, Sweden in March 2011 and features Dr Zaharuddin.

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9

SWEDEN - KFH considers investment in Scandinavian countries - Sweden key market: Al-Ghannam

Al Subeih seen with Swedish representatives and KFH employees.

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 26: AGM for Investment Sector at Kuwait Finance House (KFH) Abdul Nasser Al-Subeih said that the international partnerships that KFH establishes in the field of real estate investment is one of the main sources for revenues for KFH clients, and noted that the success achieved by Swedish real estate portfolio known as TRESAB three years ago, which is evident by its net profit KD 43 million. The deal was orchestrated by Leimdorfer Real Estate Company, under the supervision of KFH team that is specialized in international real estate.(source)

EU - PUBLICATIONS - The EU and the GCC: Challenges and Prospects under the Swedish EU Presidency

Title : The EU and the GCC: Challenges and Prospects under the Swedish EU Presidency
By :Christian Koch, Leif Stenberg
Publication Date : September 2010
Publisher : Gulf Research Center
Publication Category:GRC Books
No of Pages : 130 Pages
Price :10 USD
Digital Copy , Hard Copy
File Size : 943.69 KB

3 - Islamic Banking and Finance and Its Role in the GCC-EU Relationship: Principles, Developments and the Bridge Role of Islamic Finance - Mehmet Asutay - p. 53-54
"...IBF’s contribution to the EU economies is unquestionable ...The lack of a common financial system in the EU  will complicate the task of expansion of IBF, but the experiences and social capital of the countries that have already adopted the system will help other countries to locate ways in which they can make amendments to their legal and regulative environment.
For example, the French financial authorities benefited from the British experience and the Italian financial environment followed the French and the British example.
This paper suggests that in addition to its contribution to the economies of the EU countries, IBF can play an important role in reconciling the political differences between the GCC and the EU countries, and hence can act as a bridge to civilizational dialogue...."

Publisher : http://www.grc.ae/index.php?frm_module=contents&frm_action=detail_book&frm_type_id=&pub_type=4&op_lang=en&sec=Contents&book_id=70877

SWEDEN - Capital Management House announces petrochemical shipping JV with Bahrain's Noga Holding and I.M. Skaugen (Sweden)

(Source: Middle East Company News)Capital Management House ("CMH"), the Bahrain based investment bank, today announced that it has entered into a joint venture with Skaugen Marine Company SE ("SMC"), a wholly owned subsidiary of I.M. Skaugen SE ("IMS"), a leading Norwegian petrochemical and logistics transportation marine company, and nogaholding Company, the business and investment arm of Bahrain's National Oil & Gas Authority (NOGA), in Skaugen Gulf Petrochem Carriers BSC(c) ("SGPC").