BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto will meet EU antitrust regulators by the end of this month to help the European Commission decide whether to clear their proposed joint venture, sources said on Tuesday. The Commission is examining the miners' planned $US116 billion iron ore production joint venture in Western Australia to determine whether it is anti-competitive. Rio Tinto, the world's second-largest iron ore producer, and BHP, the third-largest, have said that retaining separate marketing operations under the joint venture should ease regulatory concerns. Steelmakers oppose the deal. The European Union watchdog is finalising a technical analysis of the plan before the meeting, said one source close to the case. "Depending on the outcome of the meeting the Commission will consider whether to issue a statement of objections," said the source.