Commission clears salt joint venture between K&S and Solvay 

The Commission has approved the proposed joint venture between Kali & Salz AG (Germany) and Solvay SA (Belgium). The venture, to be called European Salt Company (ESCO,) will combine the parent companies' businesses for the production and sale of salt. It will be the second largest producer of crystallised salt in Europe, behind the Dutch company AKZO.

The Commission examined the potential impact of the new company on all relevant markets and concluded that it would not impede effective competition: its behaviour will be sufficiently constrained by the presence of Akzo, as well as other powerful competitors such as Salins du Midi (France), Südsalz (Germany) and Salt Union (UK).