Wales disadvantaged yet again!

Today the official proclamation of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights took place in Strasbourg, and the UK Government insisted on opting out of the provisions of the Charter.

The opt out puts Wales at a disadvantage compared to the rest of the European Union and proves the need for Wales to have its own voice in Europe. The UK is opting out from the Charter whilst the Polish government has indicated that it intends to drop its opt out, leaving the UK as the only member state not to sign up.

Nothing highlights our disadvantage in Europe more than watching everyone except Britain and possibly Poland sign up to the Charter of Fundamental Rights. We have called for many years for a written charter of rights. Now the EU has it but we in Wales don’t. Our human and social rights are less protected.

This charter is an instrument for political action on social rights, the environment, workers rights, equality of men and women, rights for children and the elderly. Members of parliament stood and cheered as the charter was signed. Those of us who are denied the protection of the charter could only stand on the sidelines.

The lesson for today is that Wales can not afford to be on the sidelines and needs to have its own voice in Europe.

The European Charter of Fundamental Rights was signed at a special proclamation ceremony in Strasbourg by Hans-Gert Pöttering, European Parliament President, José Manuel Barroso, Commission President, and José Sócrates, Portuguese Prime Minister and President-in-office of the EU Council.

The event was designed to publicise the Charter and give a legal basis article which refers to the Charter in the EU Reform Treaty (the Lisbon Treaty). The United Kingdom has an opt out from this part of Treaty and the UK Prime Minister will not be present in Lisbon for the joint signing ceremony which takes place tomorrow.