COMPETITION : KRAFT FOODS AUTHORISED TO BUY CADBURY.

The European Commission gave the go-ahead, on 6 January, to the proposed merger between two strong players in the chocolate confectionery business in the European Economic Area, Kraft Foods Inc. and Cadbury PLC. Kraft Foods of the US will therefore be able to acquire Cadbury of the UK. But the green light is conditional upon the divestment of the Polish and Romanian chocolate confectionery businesses of Cadbury.

Kraft is a worldwide food and beverage company active in more than 150 countries. With its main chocolate brands Milka, Cote d'Or and Toblerone, Kraft has a very strong presence in most member states, with the exception of the UK and Ireland, where customers' preferences remain strong for traditional British chocolate. Cadbury is a worldwide producer and seller of chocolate and sugar confectionery products in over 60...