Brussels, 04/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - The Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of joint control of Carlson Wagonlit (CWT), a company active in the travel agency services sector (serving corporate, leisure and government clients) by the US companies Carlson Companies Inc (CCI) and One Equity Partners (OEP). CWT was previously jointly controlled by CCI and Accor, the latter will be replaced by OEP. The transaction should not impede effective competition. CWT is active in the provision of business travel agency services within the EEA and, to a lesser degree, leisure travel agency services in Belgium and France. CCI and OEP are not active in these sectors within the EEA. Although CCI is active in several markets upstream of CWT's activities (hotels, cruise lines, and marketing/consultancy services for travel businesses), the Commission concluded that the operation would not change the CCI-CWT vertical relationship that already existed prior to the transaction.