BRUSSELS, August 4, 2008 (AFP) - EU regulators on Monday approved Europe's second largest travel firm Thomas Cook's takeover of smaller French rival Jet Tours.

The European Commission announced that it had given the deal its blessing via a 'simplified' vetting process used for acquisitions not seen as posing any competition problems.

Jet Tours is an affiliate of French Club Mediterranee. Its 70 million euro (109 million dollar) buyout by The British travel group Thomas Cook was announced in June.