Brussels, 15/07/2008 (Agence Europe) - Criticised by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy, of sacrificing Europe's interests in the Doha talks on the altar of free trade (see EUROPE 9694-9695), EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson can take heart ahead of the WTO summit on 21 July 2008 of the support of 'free trade' EU member states. In the 14 July 2008 issue of the Herald Tribune, the trade ministers of Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Slovenia and Sweden called for the EU to unite behind the Trade Commissioner to achieve an ambitious, balanced agreement and further concessions from the other members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) required to this end. 'The EU's ability to remain a driving force in this crucial phase is dependent on our capacity to act in coherence,' explain the six trade ministers. 'Now more than ever, EU unity is essential,' they note, stressing the 'urgent need' for a multilateral agreement in the face of the risk of an economic slowdown and global inflation. 'We cannot afford to miss the chance to counterbalance the present negative trends in world economic affairs. The credibility and respect of the whole multilateral trading system must be maintained,' they explain. The six ministers will join their EU counterparts in Brussels on 18 July 2008 to define the position to be defended by Peter Mandelson at the WTO in Geneva. (E.H. transl fl)