Brussels, 15/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Commission has approved the merger between Danish Crown and Steff-Houlberg, Denmark's two largest slaughterhouses respectively, after clearing markets outside Denmark. The impact of the merger will be significant in Denmark and has been referred to the Danish competition authority at Denmark's request. The slaughterhouses notified the Commission on 21 and 28 December but the Danish Competition Authority requested referral of the case, arguing that the merger threatened to create a dominant position restricting competition in different sectors. The affair is still a long way from being resolved, as the operation threatens upsetting competition in five markets in Denmark: the purchase of live pigs; the sale of pork for direct human consumption; the sale of fresh pork for further processing; the supply of processed pork products and abattoir by-products. The Commission decided to give its approval because it considered that the merger would have very few affects on other European markets.