Brussels, 08/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Commission's decision concerning the acquisition by the German company, Bayer, of the agro-chemical division of Aventis, Cropscience, will be on the agenda of the next Commission meeting next week, said the spokesman's office for Commissioner Monti. No comment was made, however, on the press rumours that the Commission is preparing to give the operation its clearance.
The operation has been the subject of a detailed inquiry since last December, as the Commission fears there will be a substantial reduction of competition on the market for agro-chemicals used by the farming sector, as well as on the market for anti-parasitic products for pets, on which both groups are present. In order to obtain European clearance, Bayer reportedly proposed that the Commission sell the assets of the future new group with a turnover of over EUR 150 million, especially sales of insecticide products under the brand name "Fipronil", as well as the rights for application of an ingredient to be found in some of the most popular Bayer products, against vermin. The spokesman, Michael Tscherny, did not wish to confirm or deny this information: "I have no comment to make on the press comments", he simply said.