Plaid Cymru Euro-MP Jill Evans has expressed her disgust at the failure of both New Labour MEPs from Wales to back a continuation of European funding for Wales' neediest regions.

MEPs meeting in Strasbourg were voting on the future budget of the EU from 2007 - 13; the European Parliament was taking its position ahead of a crucial summit meeting in Brussels next week which should agree whether parts of Wales will continue to qualify for the equivalent Objective One and Two funding for a further seven year period. The European Parliament's agreement is needed to set the EU budget.

Both New Labour MEPs abstained in the key vote. Jill Evans was the only MEP from Wales to vote in favour.

MEPs were voting on the size of the EU budget - this is important since it will decide how much money, if any, will be available for structural funds. The option put before the European Parliament favours member states' contributions to the budget being capped at 1.18% in commitments and 1.07% of Gross National Income in payments, whilst the New Labour government wants this capped at 1.00% in commitments.

This lower amount would mean funding for key policy areas like structural funds would suffer, and New Labour has already said it wants to scrap the funds.

Speaking from Strasbourg after the vote, Jill Evans MEP, who represents the whole of Wales in the European Parliament, said:

"West Wales and the Valleys needs and deserves European structural funds to continue after 2006 and I am appalled that the Labour MEPs from Wales failed to vote for Wales in today's vote.

"We are talking about up to £3 billion in funding for some of our neediest regions.

"The New Labour MEPs have clearly shown where their loyalties lie and they will have to answer to the people for that.

"With Tony Blair and Gordon Brown determined to block new European funding for Wales at next week's summit, today's vote in Parliament is vitally important in strengthening our hand."

Note: Next week's European summit in Brussels is due to decide on the future EU budget for 2007 - 2013 and this will have implications for the future of the successor of Objective One and Two funding for Wales up to 2020. If the UK Government succeeds in capping the budget contributions at 1% of GNI and / or postponing the decision until later West Wales and the Valleys could miss out on up to £3 billion in EU funding. The European Parliament today voted by 426 to 140 in favour of the 1.18% in commitments and 1.07% in payments, there were 122 abstentions.

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