21/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - Mergers. On 21 February, the European Commission gave the go-ahead to two planned mergers reported to it on 17 January 2011. Paper. Clearance has been given for Swedish paper company Munksjö AB's acqusition of Arjowiggins' decor paper, thin paper, fine art paper and abrasive paper businesses (a paper factory in France and another in Germany). Munksjö also makes decorative paper, along with five other type of paper (pulp, electro-technical paper, Spantex, thin paper and Inpak). The deal will generate one of the world's biggest decorative paper manufacturers but which will still face hefty competition from Technocell (Germany), Malta Decor (Poland) and others. There is not expected to be any danger of price-fixing emerging as a result of the deal. - Surgical materials. Acquisition of joint control of a newly created joint venture headquartered in the US, Actamax Surgical Materials LLC (Actamax), by the Dutch company DSM PTG, Inc., a subsidiary of Royal DSM N.V. (DSM, nutritional and pharmaceutical products, performance materials, polymer intermediates, and base chemicals and materials), and the US company E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont, chemicals, plastics and seeds), has been given the go-ahead. Actamax Surgical Materials LLC will develop and commercialise advanced biocompatible surgical materials. The joint venture is unlikely to impact on competition because it should operate on different markets from its parents. (F.G./transl.fl)