Italy abandoned on Wednesday an attempt to rally free-marketeers in the European Union behind a letter denouncing protectionism in cross-border mergers after failing to collect any signatures, diplomats said.
An Italian diplomatic source said Rome would not present the open letter at this week's EU summit because many governments did not think such an initiative was appropriate.
"They couldn't get anyone to sign so they've dropped the idea," an EU diplomat said, saying Sweden, Finland, Ireland and the Netherlands had politely declined and Britain had held back until the last minute while voicing sympathy.