Bayer gets go-ahead to sell off R&D activities ahead of merger

The European Commission has conditionally approved the sale of parts of German chemical company Bayer’s crop science business to German rival BASF.

The deal, which would be worth more than €6 billion, received the Commission’s approval on 30 April. Divestment of some areas of Bayer’s business was a condition of the Commission’s March approval of the company’s merger with the American agrochemical company Monsanto.

If the deal goes ahead, BASF will acquire activities including Bayer’s entire vegetable seeds business and part of its seeds and traits R&D activities. In turn, BASF has committed to sell overlapping R&D activity related to the development of non-selective herbicides.