Brussels, 02/07/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Commission has authorised the French Société Anonyme d'Explosifs et de Produits Chimiques (EPC) to acquire a 50% stake in the capital of the German drilling and blasting company SAARMontan, hitherto a fully-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Montan Technologie. The operation does not pose a problem as EPC and SAARMontan operate in very different sectors.