Brussels, 24/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has authorised the Italian energy company ENI to acquire, for the sum of EUR 420 million, the Norwegian oil company Fortum Petroleum (annual turnover EUR 295 million). While ENI is present at every level in the energy provision and distribution chain, Fortum Petroleum limits its activities to the exploration of oil and gas, to the production of natural gas from the Norwegian continental plateau and to the transport of natural gas from the continental plateau. After its investigation, the Commission concluded that the operation would not strengthen ENI's position on the Italian market for the provision and distribution of natural gas any more than that of GVS, a German gas company jointly controlled by ENI and EnBW.