Romano Prodi, European Commission president, warned yesterday against the danger of creating a "double bureaucracy" by creating a second European Union president.

Mr Prodi claims the plan for a new president of the European Council, backed by Britain, France, Germany and others, could create a power clash at the heart of the EU.

The former Italian prime minister has told his inner circle he would be prepared to carry on as Commission president after his term expires in autumn 2004, if asked by member states.

But he said: "There is no sense in speaking about this before knowing what the European Convention decides and what reforms are worked out regarding the EU's powers and institutional set-up."

Mr Prodi said in an interview that the dual presidency plan was fraught with danger, but added he could work alongside someone like Tony Blair, the UK prime minister, in spite of their strong differences over Iraq, if an EU president was created.

"The problem is the role, not the person," he told The Sprout, a Brussels online publication.

"He's certainly a strong personality, but the problem is which will be the real power - the president of the Council, or the president of the Commission?"

Mr Prodi's spokesman yesterday described as "a fairytale" the disclosure in the Financial Times that he was contemplating a second term. But his closest aides confirmed this was the case, if he was asked to carry on by EU leaders and on the right terms.

The former Italian prime minister is waiting to see the outcome of the Convention's deliberations, including whether the president of the Commission would be elected by members of the European parliament to give the post a stronger mandate.

Financial Times, April 4 2003