20/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has decided to close its investigation into the exploitation of the gas deposit of Corrib, off the west coast of Ireland, following the decision taken by its three owners, Enterprise Energy Ireland Limited, Norway's Statoil and America's Marathon, to withdraw their request for an exemption to market the gas jointly. The Commission welcomed this decision which will provide Irish consumers with a choice between several suppliers of gas. The Commission, moreover, closed the file on the acquisition of the Brazilian Caemi by Australia's BHP, following the withdrawal of this planned concentration in the mining sector, which the Japanese Mitsui, with a 40% stake in Caemi, opposed.