Canon gets U.S. antitrust clearance for Oce buy

AMSTERDAM, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Japan's Canon said on Monday the antitrust procedure in the United States had been completed for its intended acquisition of Dutch maker of photocopier and printing systems Oce NV.

Canon, the copier and digital camera maker, and Oce said last month Canon would offer 8.60 euros per share for Oce, representing a premium of 70 percent.

In a joint statement with Oce, Canon said on Monday the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, in the United States had expired on Dec. 18 without a second request.

'The anti-trust procedure in the U.S. is in this way completed,' the companies said.

Canon and Oce added clearance from the European Union, Swiss and Taiwanese competition authorities is still to be obtained, but the filing procedures are on track.

(Reporting by Aaron Gray-Block, editing by Matthew Lewis) Keywords: OCE/ ([e-mail]; + 31 20 504 5001; Reuters Messaging: [e-mail]) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.