EC okays BOC, Linde merger

The European Commission has cleared Linde's acquisition of rival industrial gases firm BOC, with conditions to ensure competition. The two companies have agreed to the divestiture of Linde's industrial gases business in the U.K. and BOC's industrial and specialty gases businesses in Poland. The approval is further conditional on Linde and BOC selling several wholesale helium supply contracts. Linde will also break its ties with Air Liquide in a number of Asian joint ventures. The deal still requires clearance from U.S. antitrust authorities, which in 1999 blocked a joint bid by Air Products & Chemicals and Air Liquide to buy BOC.