04/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - The Commission has authorised the project for the acquisition of the American optical lens manufacturer Sola by the private equity fund EQT III and the German optical product manufacturer Carl Zeiss, which will create a joint enterprise. After its examination, the Commission established that the operation will only result in a modest increase in the market share for ophthalmic lenses, both in terms of sales to opticians on a national scale and to prescription laboratories in the European Economic Area. The new entity will have to face competition from large groups such as Essilor, Hoya and Rodenstock and their customers, who have relatively high purchasing power, would be able to choose other suppliers, the Commission indicated in a communication.