German firm Beiten Burkhardt Mittl & Wegener is to push its three European allies to merge six months ahead of schedule, in a bid to secure a top Anglo-Saxon merger partner.

BBLP, the European alliance of firms, which formed in June 1999, had agreed to merge by the end of 2001, but the Germans, who lead the alliance, now believe it has to integrate more quickly to stay in the global market.