Brussels, 17/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 14 January, the European Commission approved the acquisition of the German group C. Rob. Hammerstein (CRH), one of the world's largest suppliers of metal structures and seat mechanisms (nearly 3600 employees in nine different countries), by the American company Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI), which makes car seat components, assembles seats and produces other interior elements such as door panels and roof liners. The Commission's investigation is established that the two companies are competitors on the markets for car seat structures and related components, but that their cumulative market shares will remain relatively modest. Additionally, they face both competition from other equipment manufacturers and pressure from the purchasing power of the car builders themselves, which select the producers of these structures and mechanisms, and determine the price. The operation, which was announced a few months ago and notified to the Commission on 1 December 2010, is therefore unlikely to cause competition problems and was therefore authorised. (F.G./trans.fl)