17/11/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has cleared a proposed joint venture between Finnish food retailer Kesko Oy and ICA AB. The new company will regroup the business of the two companies and procure and sell daily consumer goods in the Baltic states. Despite a minimum overlapping of activities in Estonia and Latvia, the joint enterprise will use hypermarkets, supermarkets and discount chains but will be confronted by competition from other companies, explained the Commission. The companies already present or beginning to get a foot in this sector will not experience strong barriers to market entry and have plans to expand.