Thursday 28 Nov 2013 @ 15:05
Welsh Government
Welsh Government
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UK exit from the EU would be disastrous for Wales – Carwyn Jones
The United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union would be disastrous for Wales, the First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones has warned.
In a debate in the National Assembly for Wales, the First Minister revealed more than 600 firms in Wales export goods worth over £5bn annually to other EU Member States and some 150,000 jobs in Wales depend on that trade.
The First Minister said Wales benefits greatly from EU Structural Funds, which are helping us to develop skills and build physical infrastructure to make our economy more competitive. Wales is benefiting from the support of over £1.8bn from the Structural Funds that, together with match funding, is worth over £3.8bn of investment in total.
Speaking at the Senedd, the First Minister said:
"This Welsh Government is unequivocally pro-European. We are firmly focused on delivering jobs and growth and, quite simply, we would not be able to achieve our aims without access to the EU’s Single Market."It brings enormous benefits to our businesses and is a major attraction for both existing and potential inward investors. More than 450 firms from other member states are located in Wales, providing some 50,000 jobs. Clearly, these benefits alone would make a compelling business case for our continued membership of the EU."But this is not only my view. During my visits to India, China, the USA, I am told by businesses considering investment in Wales that access to the Single Market is absolutely key to their decision. While the UK’s market of 60 million people is not insignificant, it is the European market of over 500 million that interests them most."
The First Minister also talked about the importance of EU Structural Funds during the debate. He said:
"Wales also benefits greatly from vital European funding, which helps to maintain and develop prosperity in our rural areas that are so vital to the Welsh economy. Welsh companies and universities have also benefited from EU support for research and development, one of the drivers of growth in our economy.”"It is for all these reasons, and more, that I will make the case for continued UK membership of the EU robustly and at every opportunity. It is absolutely in our interests and it would be disastrous for Wales if the UK were ever to withdraw."
On Thursday 28 November, Finance Minister Jane Hutt will be addressing an event to highlight Wales’ achievements in delivering EU Structural Fund programmes and the investment opportunities for the £2bn EU Structural Funds programmes 2014-2020, which will build on our current achievements, helping businesses to become more competitive, boosting research and innovation, increasing renewable energy and strategic infrastructure, tackling poverty, helping more people into work and providing further opportunities for training and gaining new skills.
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