Brussels, 31/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has decided to open a second investigation into a proposed joint venture between German companies Celanese AG and Degussa AG, the latter via its subsidiary AG's Oxeno Olefinchemie GmbH. The two partners intend to transfer their activities in the area of propylene-based oxo chemicals. Oxo chemicals are primarily used as chemical intermediates, solvents and plasticizers. A preliminary examination has identified competition concerns in a number of markets in the EEE (between 40% and 55%) where the combined entity would have very high market shares (in base chemical butyraldehyde and derivate product butanol as well as softener 2-ethylhexanol and solvent butyl acetate). The new company should find itself well ahead of competitors BASF of Germany, Perstorp Oxo of Sweden and Atofina of France. The detailed probe should fnd out whether such high market shares could give the combined entity a dominant position in the products at stake.