"We should put France under pressure," Grasser told reporters. "It really shouldn't be the case that when France and Germany have elections, Europe comes to a standstill."
The European Parliament, which also has a vote on the legislation, stepped up the pressure on France last week by calling for households to be given a free choice by 2005.
In London, an EU competition regulator underlined a threat to order France to dismantle Electricite de France's monopoly by decree.
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