ECONOMIC INTERPENETRATION / (eu) pharmaceuticals

The Dutch-Swedish chemicals and pharmaceuticals group AKZO NOBEL (combined turnover EUR 12 billion in 1999 with 68,000 employed in 75 countries) has sold, for the sum of EUR 140.7 million, its over-the-counter pharmaceuticals business CHEFARO (turnover nearly EUR 90 million in 1999 with 280 employed) to Belgian OMEGA PHARMA (turnover EUR 175 million forecast for 2000).