Brussels, 22/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has decided to open a detailed investigation into a planned Siemens/Drägerwerk hospital equipment joint venture. The commission is afraid that this new venture would take up an excessive part of certain sectors of this market. In practice this would mean Siemens transferring its medical ventilators, anaesthesia delivery systems and patient monitoring businesses to Dräger Medical, currently wholly-owned by German Drägerwerk. Siemens and Drägerwerk would jointly-control Dräger Medical. Siemens andDrägerwerk will therefore have joint control of the company as part of a capital increase. The proposed transaction will affect in particular, the markets for medical ventilators and accessories, combining the two leading players in anaesthetic delivery systems, patient monitors and accessories, where Dräger Medical already has a strong market position. The detailed investigation will allow the Commission to assess the problem more closely.