I wish Prime Minister Juncker a positive and productive Presidency. I am pleased to see a small successful independent country leading the Union. Luxembourg is one of the six member states smaller than my country, Wales, and an example of what an independent Wales could achieve.

The priorities paper tries to keep the essential balance between economic, social and environmental policies. I would like to mention non-discrimination. I hope that real progress will be made on the European Gender Institute and on the 'Recast' equality directive. There is no greater example of the failure of policies on equality than the pay gap between men and women in employment. Thirty years after legislation was put in place, studies this published this week by the GMB trade union in the UK shows that women's full time pay in Anglesey, in my constituency, is as low as 59% of men's. This is a scandal and must be addressed and I hope that equality issues will be given priority.

Jill Evans ASE/MEP