EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson stepped up his public feud with French president Nicolas Sarkozy today, accusing “protectionist” politicians of undermining the world economy.
Mr Mandelson criticised “populist and self-serving” leaders who put domestic concerns above global needs.
In an article for the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Mandelson wrote: "I believe that, like Britain's prime minister, President Sarkozy recognises that we are currently beset with global problems that lay siege to our economies.
“I want him and other world leaders to accept that securing trade is an important part of the solution.”
The row first emerged publicly at a summit last month, when Mr Sarkozy explicitly blamed Mr Mandelson’s handling of trade talks for Ireland’s surprise No vote on the Lisbon Treaty.
The spat between the two men is particularly awkward for the EU at a time when France has just take over its presidency.
Mr Mandelson is due to lead the European delegation later this month in fresh talks over a world trade deal. The previous attempt to reach an agreement on the “Doha round” of negotiations failed last year over plans to cut farm subsidies for rich nations.
But Mr Sarkozy has been infuriated by the former Cabinet minister’s free-trade stance, and is determined to protect subsidies for French farmers.
In his latest article, Mr Mandelson took a swipe at the French attitude by saying: “In both Europe and the United States there is increasing rhetoric about the need to protect people from change, some of it sincere but much of it populist and self-serving.”
PA