31/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - Axa/Permira joint venture. On Monday 30 May, the European Commission approved the creation of a joint venture between French company Axa and equity firm Permira which will concentrate their proposed acquisition of Opodo and their respective existing online travel agency subsidiaries, GO Voyages and eDreams. The deal, notification of which was submitted on 19 April, will create one of Europe's largest companies in the online travel agency sector. The Commission's examination focused on the online sale of leisure flights, where the joint venture will be the strongest, especially in the French and Italian markets. It found that there would still be sufficient competition from airline websites and online travel agencies. The Commission concluded, therefore, that the transaction would not raise competition concerns. (F.G./transl.rt)