(Adds Austria as additional location for asset sales)
By Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS, Nov 25 (Reuters) - U.S. drinks can maker Ball Corp is ready to sell 11 plants in Europe in a bid toconvince EU antitrust regulators to approve its 4.43 billionpound ($6.69 billion) offer for British peer Rexam, two sourcesfamiliar with the matter said on Wednesday.
The world's two largest beverage can makers by volume want tomerge to better manage capital spending and cut costs. TheEuropean Commission however fears the deal would push up pricesfor companies and consumers.
The combined company would have 60 percent of the beveragecan market in North America, 69 percent in Europe and 74 percentin Brazil, according to Morningstar analysts.
Ball is prepared to divest four factories in Germany, threein the UK, one each in Spain, France, the Netherlands andAustria, the sources said. Nine of the plants make cans and twoof them can ends. The offer was submitted to the Commission lastweek.
The EU competition authority has given third parties untilWednesday to provide feedback and is likely to extend thedeadline. It is scheduled to decide on the case by Jan. 22.
Ball has said it is willing to sell more than $1.58 billionworth of assets to allay regulatory concerns.
Rexam's customers include Coca-Cola Co andAnheuser-Busch InBev.
($1 = 0.6621 pounds) (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee, editing by David Evans)
