Based on press reports, the Commission understands that Monsanto has agreed to Bayer's acquisition offer; however, this transaction has not been notified to the Commission yet. If and when the Commission receives a formal notification of the Bayer/Monsanto transaction, the Commission will carefully investigate it.

Such an investigation would be based on the rules of the EU Merger Regulation as applicable to the specific facts of the case. The Commission's final decision will have to abide by those rules, be impartial and will be subject to the scrutiny of the European Courts.

The Commission considers that the EU safety standards for plant protection products are amongst the highest worldwide. EU legislation provides that plant protection products must only be placed on the market if it can be demonstrated that there are no harmful effects on human and animal health and no unacceptable effects on the environment under realistic conditions of use.