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Simon Dawson | Bloomberg | Getty Images Britain has proposed a loosening of rules on stock market listings by state companies, just as the London Stock Exchange is trying to win the IPO of

Saudi Arabian oil giant Saudi Aramco, a potentially huge but controversial prize. The new rules proposed by Britain's financial watchdog would create a new listing category for

companies controlled by sovereign states and come as exchanges around the world are vying to win the Aramco listing, which is expected to be the largest initial public offering (IPO) ever.

But the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) proposals are likely to spark criticism from British fund managers, who have already expressed concerns about Aramco's governance. British

asset management body the Investment Association said in May that it was concerned that Aramco would be granted exemptions that could weaken the influence of minority shareholders. Reuters

reported earlier this year that the London Stock Exchange Group was working on a new type of listing structure that would make it more attractive for Aramco to join the bourse. The proposals

come as the government and City of London are trying to keep Britain's financial markets attractive to international investors and companies after the country leaves the European

Union. The FCA said on Thursday it is proposing a new "premium" stock market listing category that will exempt companies controlled by sovereign states from certain requirements.

"Refining the listing regime in this way would make UK markets more accessible whilst ensuring that the protections afforded by our premium listing regime are focused and

proportionate," FCA chief executive Andrew Bailey said. BRIDGING THE GULF Under the FCA's proposals, sovereign-controlled companies will be able to obtain a "premium"

listing on the London Stock Exchange without complying with certain rules on related party transactions and controlling shareholders. The changes are likely to make Britain's stock

market more attractive to state-controlled companies just as several Gulf countries are considering listing part of their oil assets. Aside from Saudi Arabia, Oman and Abu Dhabi have also

said they might float part of their state oil businesses. At present companies which do not meet Britain's "premium" listing requirements have to take a standard listing.

These are seen as less attractive as they have lower corporate governance requirements, do not qualify for entry into most stock indices and have connotations of being second best. To

qualify for a premium LSE listing at the moment, a shareholder that controls more than 30 percent of a company has to enter into a legally binding arrangement to ensure that transactions

between the company and the controlling shareholder will be conducted at 'arms length' and on commercial terms. The listed company also has to obtain prior approval from

independent shareholders before entering into a deal with a 'related party' with a major shareholder. The FCA said it believed controlling sovereign owners tend to act differently

from private ones so it was legitimate to grant them exemption to these requirements. "Sovereign owners tend to be different from private sector individuals or entities in both their

motivations and their nature," it said in its consultation paper. "We believe that investors and the market are sufficiently able to assess the additional risks arising from

sovereign ownership". The FCA has set a deadline of Oct 13 for comment on the proposals, which are part of a wider review it is undertaking into Britain's listing rules but were

brought forward because it said it thought there was a gap in its current rules.