The European Commission authorised, on 4 April, the creation of a joint venture by the Austrian firms AGRANA and RWA. The two companies will merge their activities in the production of apple juice concentrate and other fruit-related products under the trade name YBBSTALER AGRANA JUICE GmbH. The EU executive found that while the two companies are active in the same areas along the value chain, the joint venture’s market position would be too limited to raise competition concerns and that customers would still have a choice among several competing suppliers in the markets concerned. It therefore concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area or any substantial part of it.