Brussels, 29/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commision has cleared a joint venture between Belgium's Solvay (chemicals and automobiles components) and France's Plastic Omnium (automobile components), in which they will pool their activities in fuel delivery systems for cars. The new company should have an annual turnover of Euro 1 billion as from 2001 and a workforce of 3,000 at thirty-odd sites around the world. After a routine review, the Commission found that the relevant geographic market for car fuel delivery systems is at least European and maybe worldwide in view of globalised tendering by major car manufacturers, relatively low transport costs and the existence of cross-border trade flows. The European market includes strong competitors such as Textron, Ti-Walbro and VDO. Customers, the major global automobile manufacturers, should also be able to exert a significant degree of buying power. In view of the above findings, the Commission has decided not to oppose the operation.