Brussels, 26/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - On 23 November, the European Commission gave the go-ahead for the acquisition by diversified US company Eaton Corporation (services, electrical and hydraulic systems and components, fuel, propulsion and transmission systems) of Irish electrical equipment manufacturer Cooper Industries Plc, on the grounds that the deal notified on 17 October 2012 will not damage competition in the European Economic Area. The Commission examined the competitive effects of the proposed acquisition in the markets for cabinets for non-hazardous environments, circuit breakers and fuses, where the parties' activities overlap. In addition, the Commission investigated the vertical links between Cooper's activities in fuses and Eaton's switchgears as well as Eaton's miniature circuit breakers' use in Cooper's cabinets for hazardous environments. The Commission found that the merged entity would continue to face competition from a number of competitors upstream and producers would continue to have a range of alternative customers downstream. (FG/transl.fl)