English: Phil Condit, CEO of the Boeing Company, during a meeting with Karel Van Miert, Member of the EC in charge of Competition, at the European Commission in Brussels. They discussed about the Boeing/McDonnell Douglas merger. On 19 March 1997, the European Commission decided to carry out an in-depth investigation of the merger of the Boeing Company and McDonnell Douglas Corporation (MDC). With a market share of over 60%, Boeing was by far the largest participant in the world market in commercial jets with over 100 seats. The operation would lead to an increase in Boeing's market share and Airbus would remain the only competitor in this market. Furthermore, the transaction would give a considerable boost to Boeing's activities in the defence and space sectors. The European Commission would have to consider to what extent the additional competitive potential of MDC in commercial aircraft could lead to a strengthening of Boeing's current dominant position.