Brussels, 15/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - On 15 July, the European Commission approved the proposed acquisition of the French IMS International Metal Service ('IMS') by the Belgian JSA SA, the holding company of Jacquet Metals of France, both active in the distribution of steel products. The operation was notified to the Commission on 26 May and shows that the horizontal overlaps between the parties' activities in the distribution of steel products are limited, given their largely complementary nature. Jacquet Metals' activities focus on the distribution of stainless steel products by oxycutting centers (which cut the steel products), whereas IMS is mainly active in the distribution of steel products. The Commission focused its market investigation on the market for the distribution of stainless steel quarto plates by oxycutting centres and the distribution of long stainless steel products by stockists in a number of member states where the transaction gave rise to horizontal overlaps but found that the transaction does not raise any competition concerns in these markets given the limited increments in market share resulting from the merger, the presence of a number of sizeable competitors active on each of the relevant markets. (F.G./transl.fl)