EU: Commission clears Bayer’s acquisition of Aventis Crop Science, subject to divestitures

The European Commission has decided to clear Bayer's acquisition of Aventis Crop Science (ACS), subject to substantial divestitures. As initially notified, the operation would have led to the creation or strengthening of dominant positions on about 130 markets for crop protection, professional pest control and animal health products. But Bayer has offered a comprehensive set of commitments, including the sale, in one single package, of best-selling insecticide Fipronil and a number of fungicides, which together constitute ACS' entire European seed treatment business. The commitments fully resolve the Commission's competition concerns.