The European Union's -competition commissioner yesterday expressed her "shock" at the protectionist rhetoric of Nicolas Sarkozy, the leading challenger for the French presidency, saying it was in France's interests to promote the European single market and cross-border investment.

"I was really shocked when I read the Financial Times this morning that one of the candidates was pleading for more national champions and more protectionist action," Neelie Kroes said at a press conference in Berlin.