Apr 06, 2009. /Lesprom Network/. The US Federal Trade Commission and the Chinese merger control authority have approved the acquisition of Ciba by BASF on April 2, 2009, as the company informed Lesprom Network. The condition imposed by the European Commission to reach a sales agreement for Ciba's business with the light stabilizer Chimassorb before closing has been fulfilled. The buyer is the Italian company Sabo. The planned settlement date for BASF’s acquisition is April 9. As of this date, BASF will hold approximately 95.8% of Ciba shares. BASF is the world's leading chemical company. BASF has approximately 97 thousand employees and posted sales of more than Euro 62 billion in 2008.