Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) has sought to ease EU concerns that its planned $21.3 billion purchase of Swiss medical devices maker Synthes (SYST.VX) could stifle competition, the European Commission said on Tuesday. The companies presented their arguments before competition officials and lawyers from the Commission as well as representatives from national antitrust agencies on Monday. "An oral hearing took place yesterday in the Synthes/Johnson & Johnson case," said Antoine Colombani, a spokesman for competition affairs at the Commission.
