Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales Euro MPs Jill Evans and Eurig Wyn have called on the new Belgian Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers to give the National Assembly for Wales a stronger role in the European Union.

In the first questions to be tabled to Belgian secretary of state, Annemie Neyts, as acting president of the Council of Ministers, the Plaid Cymru MEPs last night called for radical reforms to democratise the EU in a way that recognises the important role of stateless nations such as Wales, Scotland, Catalonia, Flanders and others.

Jill Evans MEP leader of Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales in the European Parliament said:

"Countries and regions such as Andalucia, the Basque Country, Catalonia, Flanders, Scotland and Wales are the building blocks of a truly democratic European Union. Being a federal state the sharing of powers between various tiers of government is already high on the Belgian presidency agenda, and this gives the National Assembly for Wales an excellent opportunity to push for expanding its role in Europe."

The Belgian Presidency has already set a very important precedent in that for the first time in its history, European Council meetings will be presided over by not only Belgian ministers but also by ministers from its autonomous communities. Ms Evans added,

"We hope that the Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt's recent positive remarks on the need for countries such as Catalonia, Flanders and Scotland to have an enhanced role is a first step towards the full recognition of the smaller nations and regions by the European Union."

Eurig Wyn MEP added:

"With the new presidency, stateless nations like Wales have an opportunity to expand their role and visibility in Europe. We must grasp the opportunity with enthusiasm, uniting our voice with that of other so-called constitutional regions."

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