Diplomats say EU foreign ministers are to meet next Tuesday amid growing French unease about concessions Mandelson is said to have made in negotiations over farm subsidies ahead of a crucial meeting in Hong Kong in December.

"I support the calling of this meeting as a welcome opportunity to continue to provide transparency to the member states and to reassure them that the conduct of the negotiations by the (European) Commission is within the mandate," Mandelson said in a statement.

The meeting, which was not immediately confirmed by the EU's British presidency, comes at a crucial moment in trade negotiations with the WTO's general council due to meet in Geneva on Wednesday and Thursday. Some WTO ministers are to attend the Geneva talks.