Finance minister Wouter Bos says EC criticism of Dutch central bank president Nout Wellink is an ‘annoying mistake’. The Commission has warned Wellink to keep an open mind on the takeover battle for ABN Amro and to operate in a ‘non-discriminatory manner’.

The statement follows his warning that a bid by the consortium involving Fortis would be riskier and more complicated than one by Barclays. ‘Wellink has assured me that he is objective…,’ Bos said on Friday.