Brussels, 04/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission authorised the acquisition of European Culinary Brands Businesses (ECBB), a subsidiary of the Unilever group specialised in sauces, stock and jams, by the American Campbell Soup Co, a major manufacturer of convenience foods, biscuits and sweets. This operation, valued at EUR 1 billion, being one of the main conditions for the green light from the Commission to the acquisition of Bestfoods by Unilever last year (see EUROPE of 3 October 2000, p.13). This operation creates minor overlaps in three markets, namely the French market for mayonnaise and the French and Portuguese markets for other cold sauces, but they will not lead to the creation of dominant positions.