Bjorn and Harrington, pictured here in 2003, are ex-Ryder Cup team-mates

Thomas Bjorn has criticised Padraig Harrington after the Irishman's reported comments about a tightening of European Tour membership rules.

Bjorn, the European Tour's players' committee chairman, has suggested some high-profile names ought to increase their commitment to the European Tour.

Harrington was quoted as saying he may take the matter to the European Union.

But Bjorn responded: "For Padraig to threaten to go to the European Union is out of order."

The pair were Ryder Cup team-mates back in 2002, but the issue has quickly escalated after the calls for European players to play more events on their home tour.

Members of the European Tour currently have to play 11 events in order to be eligible to qualify for the end-of-season Dubai World Championship, and a minimum of 12 events to retain full Tour membership.

Like many players, Harrington plays on both the European and United States-based PGA Tour.

But the world number seven was not impressed with plans from European Tour chiefs urging members to commit to more events.

"I don't believe in protectionism - I wonder if there may be a case for the European Union," Harrington was reported to have said after learning of the plans.

I find it disappointing that he does not come to me and talk Thomas Bjorn

But Bjorn was staunch in his defence of the proposals.

"He would need to play only one more event here if this proposal goes through. That's not asking a lot," said Bjorn.

"Pretty much everything we do is to protect our leading players, but as chairman I have to look at every member as an equal.

"I don't want to have a war of words with him, but we are a committee of 15 - and that includes people like Colin Montgomerie, Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Paul McGinley.

"He may have won three majors, but Monty has won eight Order of Merits and knows all there is to know about the Tour."

Bjorn also criticised Harrington for using the media to air his views, rather than approaching himself and the committee directly.

"He always uses the press," he said.

"He never comes to people on the committee and never will do. It's his committee - he does not seem to understand that. He seems to think that he is above it.

"We have discussions, he gets word of it and then he uses the press to slam the Tour.

"I find it disappointing that he does not come to me and talk. Instead he goes to the press and then it becomes a public discussion."

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