Brussels, 05/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 4 February, the European Commission cleared the proposed acquisition of the refinery Compagnie de Distribution des Hydrocarbures SAS (“Berre Refinery”) of France, currently controlled by Royal Dutch Shell plc. (Shell) of the UK/Netherlands, by Basell Polyéthylène SAS (Basell) of Luxembourg, belonging to Access Industries (Access) of the US. Some of the petrochemical products derived from the fractional distillation at the Berre Refinery are used as feedstock in the polyolefins sector, in which Basell is active, and therefore the Commission analysed the vertical relationships between the parties. Given the parties' limited position on all the upstream and downstream markets, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not strengthen either the parties' incentive or their ability to close off the market to competitors. The transaction, then, will not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it. (O.L.)