05/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - Mergers: ArcelorMittal-ATIC. On 2 December, the European Commission authorised the proposed acquisition of the ATIC Services Group of France, which provides services along the logistic chain for the import and onward inland transportation of primarily coal and iron ore, by Dutch steel and mining company ArcelorMittal Netherlands BV, a subsidiary of ArcelorMittal. ATIC has significant market shares in certain areas of the European Union for seaport terminal services for imports of iron ore and coal, key inputs for steel production. The Commission's assessment, then, focused on the vertical integration of ATIC's activities with those of ArcelorMittal. It concluded that ArcelorMittal is unlikely to exert decisive influence on decisions relating to individual customers of these terminals and that other terminals are available to these customers. The Commission, therefore, approved the transaction, of which it was notified on 26 October of this year. (OL/transl.rt)