Brussels, 07/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - Refusing, at Tuesday's EcoFin Council, the compromise formula put forward by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, France found itself isolated in its refusal to set a precise timetable for the total liberalisation of the gas and energy markets at the Barcelona Summit (see EUROPE of 6 March, page 8), but this does not mean that there will not be an agreement on the opening up of energy markets for professionals in Barcelona. Whereas its fourteen partner in the EcoFin Council agreed to set an ambitious timetable, at the Summit, for the liberalisation of the energy markets, beginning with industrial clients, France, in full electoral period, explained that there was no question of going down the path of opening up competition to private customers in the current context. Paris considers that, at the same time as provisions are made on liberalisation, they should adopt Community rules on public services to prevent new operators appropriating profitable customers, and leaving it up to the traditional operators to finance the equipment of rural and out-of-the-way places. In French diplomatic circles, sources, moreover, consider that the countries' real degree of openness to competition has to be assessed before contemplating total liberalisation, and stress that Germany, which says it is in favour, is hermetically sealed to competition due to regulatory obstacles. A compromise is, however, possible in Barcelona, but only on the chapter of opening competition up for professionals, which represent over half the total market. Laurent Fabius, French Minister of the Economy and Finance officially accepted the idea for the first time in Brussels on Tuesday, and the European Commission has already let it be known that it was ready to compromise over the timetable. The European partners will, however, have to clarify the notion of "professionals". France would, indeed, like it not to cover artisans and personal companies.