02/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - On 25 November, BHP Billiton informed the European Commission that it has abandoned the proposed acquisition of Rio Tinto and has withdrawn its notification (EUROPE 9790). Several observers in Brussels pointed to the damaging differences between the company and the Commission, which threatened to impose significant BHP business divestment, especially in the steel industry. Officially, both the company and Commission stated that BHP would be assessed in light of...