Rebuff to watchdog over Tetra Laval

Europe's top appeals court has overturned antitrust regulators' veto of Tetra Laval's purchase of rival packaging maker Sidel, putting more pressure on the European Commission to reform the way it assesses mergers.

The Court of First Instance decision means Tetra Laval may be able to keep all or part of Sidel, which it bought last year for €1.7 billion ($3.4 billion), and is the third reversal of a merger veto in as many cases since European Competition Commissioner Mario Monti took office in September 1999.