Brussels, 26/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - The Commission has approved the purchase of the American company Reebok International Ltd by its German competitor Adidas-Salomon AG. The merger of the giants of sports and leisure equipment will create some horizontal overlaps of activity in the sports shoe market in Europe but because of their different positioning in terms of price and customers, this will not impede competition significantly, said the Commission. Adidas is perceived as a professional, technically oriented brand, whereas Reebok, which targets young people and women, is more a leisure brand, said the Commission, which considered it to be less well known in the European market than Adidas or world leader, Nike, of America. In the sports shoe sector and in the price range where the two companies are strongest (medium-priced tennis and basketball shoes and trainers), there is no evidence of agreement on prices, concluded the Commission, noting that there existed keen competition with other large operators.