Brussels, 17/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - As expected, the European Commission has decided to clear Bayer's acquisition of Aventis Crop Science (ACS), subject to substantial divestitures. As initially notified, the operation would have led to the creation or strengthening of dominant positions on about 130 markets for crop protection, professional pest control and animal health products. Bayer has offered a complex set of commitments, which has allayed the Commission's concerns. Amelia Torres, Mario Monti the Competition Commissioner's spokesperson explained that Bayer had become the second biggest agri-chemical group after Syngenta. The operation would thus create another European champion, which demonstrated that European rules did not prevent the creation of European champions, she added. The Commission was particularly concerned by the impact the transaction could have had on insecticides, herbicides, fungicides as well as in seed treatment, molluscicides, professional pest control products and certain animal health products (anti-fleas for cats and dogs). The most important of these is an "en-bloc" sale to a single purchaser of a group of ACS' insecticides and fungicides businesses (namely Fipronil, Ethiprole, Iprodione, Prochloraz, Pyrimethanil, Triticonazole and Fluquinconazole). This is a very specialised area within the agrochemical industry, where presently only Bayer, ACS and Syngenta have significant activities. This divestiture was essential insofar as only Syngenta would have been able to compete with Bayer in this sector. In insecticides Bayer also commits to divest Acetamiprid, which is a promising insecticide in another new chemistry class, the neonicotinoids, where Bayer has by far the strongest portfolio. Acetamiprid is developed jointly by ACS and the Japanese company Nippon Soda. Furthermore, Bayer will divest the following insecticides Europe-wide: Cyfluthrin, Beta-Cyfluthrin, Fenamiphos, Oxydemeton-Methyl, Phosalone and Cypermethrin and grant a Europe-wide exclusive license for Acrinathrin. In molluscicides Bayer will grant a Europe-wide exclusive license of ACS' snail bait formulation "Skipper", based on the active ingredient Thiodicarb. In herbicides Bayer will divest the Europe-wide business of Metamitron, sold as a beet herbicide under the "Goltix" brand name. Bayer will also divest the Europe-wide business of Linuron, which is used as a potato and vegetable herbicide. Bayer will give a number of exclusive licences for various products in one or more Member States as well as discontinue several third party distribution agreements.