Blair's shuttle diplomacy ignores Wales' plight - Plaid MEP to tell Cardiff conference, Friday 2 December

Wales is about to lose billions in European aid as Tony Blair travels around Eastern Europe trying to secure a deal on the EU budget. That's the key message to be delivered at an event on the future of the EU in Cardiff today (Friday) by Plaid Cymru Euro-MP Jill Evans.

Ms Evans is due to speak at 'Close to EU: Europe in Wales' an event at Cardiff City Hall organised by the Local Government International Bureau and the Welsh Local Government Association.

The Plaid Cymru MEP says that whilst all the attention has been on poor East European countries, people are forgetting that Wales too is a poor country that is set to get poorer if Tony Blair gets his way on the EU budget deal. Ms Evans is also highly critical of the failure of Rhodri Morgan's Welsh Assembly government to fight Wales' corner in these crucial negotiations.

Jill says:

"I don't think people realise just how much is at stake. So much of the attention about the EU budget has been on how poor countries in Eastern Europe will lose out on European funding if Blair gets his way. But compared to other parts of Europe, Wales too is a poor country. That's why we continue to qualify for top level European funding. The problem is that if Tony Blair's deal on the EU budget gets through, the money for regional funding will be cut and Wales would lose out on billions.

We know that there are up to three billion pounds at stake."

Explaining how the Blair deal would deny Wales European funding, Jill points out:

"Over the past few years West Wales and the Valleys have qualified for Objective One funding because GDP was less than 75% of the EU average. These areas need and deserve ongoing support - indeed under normal circumstances they would get it. But because Blair blocked a deal on the budget earlier this year, the whole issue had to be put off. This risks pushing the poorer areas of Wales outside the qualifying criteria.

What's worse, however, is that the current cut in the EU budget that Blair's so busy selling in Eastern Europe would mean severe cuts in regional funding - very bad news for Wales."

Jill Evans continues:

"Blair's obsession with keeping the UK rebate is damaging Wales. Winning a good deal on the EU budget is worth far more to Wales than preserving the UK rebate.

He says that we should trust him - that Wales won't lose out - but we've yet to see anything concrete and we all know the value of Blair's promises."

Ends

Notes

1. The UK EU Presidency is reportedly seeking to win the agreement of the 25 Member States for the 2007-13 budget to be cut from 1.24% of EU GDP to 1.03%. This would mean severe cuts for regional funding endangering future funding for areas such as West Wales and the Valleys.

Plaid Cymru has been campaigning to retain top level European funding for Wales - for this happen the EU budget must not be cut as the UK wants and agreement on the overall budget must be achieved before the end of 2005 if West Wales and the Valleys is to qualify anew.

2. 'Close to EU: Europe in Wales Roadshow' - Cardiff City Hall, 9.45am to 2pm. Jill is due to speak in a panel discussion at 12.30.