Brussels, 16/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - On 16 January, the European Commission sent back to the Dutch competition authorities assessment of the Dutch section of a planned merger of Dutch frozen ready-meals companies Royaan and Ad Van Geloven (AvG). The Commission's preliminary investigation found serious overlaps in the Dutch ready-meal market that could seriously affect competition. The joint venture would, in fact, be the biggest supplier of frozen ready-meals on an already highly concentrated market in which both companies are big players. The Dutch competition authorities now have to examine under Dutch law the deal sent in to the Commission on 15 November 2011. The Commission approved the Belgian section of the merger on the grounds that the two companies' businesses do not overlap to any great extent in Belgium. (FG/transl.fl)