Brussels, 13/12/2007 (Agence Europe) - European Commission officials accompanied by British agents have carried out surprise inspections at the premises of two SPVC producers in the UK. The Commission has reason to believe that the companies may have implemented a concentration between undertakings before the Commission's clearance decision. Inspections took place at the offices of British SPVC Manufacturing, in the context of the Norsk Hydro division sale to the chemist, Ineos. The aim of the inspection was to establish whether the two groups carried out exceptional exchanges of information, pending the European Commission's authorisation of the transaction, Norsk Hydro explained during the morning in a press release. Such communications could be in breach of European merger regulations. SPVC (polyvinyl chloride produced by suspension polymerisation) is a kind of supple vinyl plastic used for covering seats and for imitation leather fabrics. (C.D.)