Brussels, 04/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - After an in-depth investigation that started in January 2011, the European Commission decided on Wednesday 4 May to approve the plans of Brazilian companies Votorantim and Fischer to set up a joint venture by combining their orange juice businesses The joint venture will be the world's biggest wholesale supplier of orange juice and will also hold important market positions in a number of by-products obtained from the orange juice extraction process, such as orange oils and essences, orange pulp and citrus pellets. The by-products are used in the production of chemicals and solvents, aromas and fragrances, paints and cosmetics and animal feed. The Commission's in-depth examination showed that despite the joint ventures leading position on the orange juice market, it would continue to face competitive pressure from other established suppliers. It showed that these suppliers would not be restricted in their access to fresh oranges and would therefore be able to counteract any strategy on the part of the joint venture to increase prices by reducing output. The Commission therefore decided that the joint venture would not be able to reduce competition on the orange juice market (F.G./transl.fl)