MEPs in the UK may have been branded as the worst in Europe for their poor record on environmental issues, but one Welsh MEP has an outstanding record in consistently voting for a better environment, a new analysis reveals.

Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales European Leader Jill Evans has been given a 100% record in the analysis by Friends of the Earth, bringing her to the top of the list. According to the survey, the majority of UK MEPs vote against environmental improvements in key areas.

Jill Evans, the Deputy Leader of Plaid Cymru, said that the importance of the European Union should not be underestimated in environmental matters:

“The European Union is responsible for around 90% of environmental laws in the UK and I believe that our group’s consistent voting record on environmental issues speaks for itself.

“Although Friends of the Earth have said that the UK deserves to maintain its reputation as the ‘dirty man of Europe’ I am very pleased that my voting record reflects the fact that Plaid Cymru at all levels will always endeavour to improve our environment and quality of life.”

Friends of the Earth monitored the voting records of MEPs on ten key issues - water, air quality, chemicals, recycling, transport, GM crops, pesticides, liability for pollution, energy tax and nuclear. The website is at www.EU-votewatch.org

Diwedd/Ends.

Notes

[1] The research is available as an interactive website at www.EU-votewatch.org

[2] The ten key votes were identified by, amongst-others, Friends of the Earth, WWF, Birdlife and Greenpeace. They were on: Agriculture, Air pollution, Chemicals, GM food, Liability, Nuclear power, Recycling, Renewables, Transport. Further details on the precise nature of the votes and background information is at www.EU-votewatch.org.

[3] Ranking of Countries by MEPs for environmental improvements was carried out by analysing total number of votes by a country MEPs for environmental improvements against total against. The following is a list of percentage of votes for environmental improvement: Denmark (84 per cent), Sweden (81 per cent), Austria (77 per cent), Belgium (76 per cent), Netherlands (75 per cent), Finland (75 per cent), Greece (70 per cent), Spain (69 per cent), Portugal (67 per cent), France (66 per cent), Luxembourg (63 per cent), Ireland (59 per cent), Germany (57 per cent), Italy (57 per cent), UK (49 per cent).

[4] The UK MEPs with the worst voting record are:

Conservatives - Charles Tannock, John Purvis, Roger Helmer, Robert Goodwill, Jacqueline Foster, Densmore Dover, Giles Chichester, Philip Bushill-Matthews, Philip Bradbourn, Richard Inglewood, Ian Twinn.

UKIP - Graham Booth, Nigel Farage, Jeffery Titford.

[5] Amongst the UK MEPs with the best voting record are:

Plaid Cymru - Jill Evans, Eurig Wyn

All other Welsh MEPs are well down the list

[6] A common claim made by Euro-sceptics in the UK is that UK business are at a disadvantage because it is only the UK that properly implements EU laws and that other countries do not. A recent report by the European Commission shows that the UK has more actions against it for failure to implement EU laws than 10 other member states. Only 4 other states have a worse record than the UK. 2003 Environment Policy Review, Consolidating the environmental pillar of sustainable development, Com (2003) 745 final of 3.12.2003.

[7] European Opinion Research Group, December 2002, Eurobarometer 58.0, the attitudes of Europeans towards the environment, DG Environment. Available at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/barometer/barometer_2003_en.pdf

[8] Jill Evans represents the whole of Wales in the European Parliament