19 May 2005

Tony Blair today faced new pressure to defy the European Commission over trade agreements which African countries fear will throw millions more people into poverty .

It came from aid agency ActionAid amid reports that European trade commissioner Peter Mandelson aims to persuade him to revise Britain's pro-poor stance on trade.

Mr Mandelson is being used to reverse what Brussels condemned as 'a major and unwelcome shift' in the UK's approach, according to a letter leaked to The Guardian.

The letter  - from Peter Carl, the European Commision's top trade official - concerned economic partnership agreements being negotiated between the EU and Africa.

It attacked Britain's policy that the agreements should not force poor countries to open their markets, citing strong lobbying from development organisations.

ActionAid, the first development agency to publish a report on the agreements, warns  that unfair EU competition threatens the livelihoods of 750 million people.

ActionAid trade policy officer Tom Sharman said: "This letter shows that Peter Mandelson hopes to use his close relationship with Tony Blair to change UK policy on this issue.

"Mr Blair must stand firm and instead press the Commission to rethink these agreements when Britain assumes the EU presidency in July."