BRUSSELS, Nov 19 (Reuters) - European Union antitrustregulators have extended by a month the deadline for a decisionon U.S. drinks can maker BallCorp's proposed 4.43-billion-pound ($6.76billion)takeover of British peer Rexam.
The European Commission had set a deadline of Dec. 23 afterprevious extension, but that has now been pushed back to Jan.22. A notice on the Commissions's website said that the deadlinehad been changed and commitments been submitted.
The world's two largest beverage can makers by volume arelooking to merge to better manage capital spending and costs.However, the EU competition enforcer is concerned that the dealwould push up prices for companies and consumers.
Ball has said it is prepared to sell assets with sales ofmore than $1.58 billion to fend off regulatory worries. It islikely to offer concessions next month.($1 = 0.6551 pounds) (Reporting By Philip Blenkinsop; editing by Robert-JanBartunek)
