Convention on the Future of Europe in Brussels

Last week I attended a meeting in London with ministerial colleagues from the Scottish Executive and UK Government Departments to consider the forthcoming debate on regional issues at the Convention on the Future of Europe in Brussels.  The outcome of this dialogue was very positive for the Assembly and, so far as I can recall, unique in the course of our devolution experience to date.  

During the last couple of months, we have been collaborating with Scottish Executive colleagues on proposals about how the European Union machinery could be adapted to enable sub-Member State governments (ie, Wales and Scotland) to play a fuller part in influencing EU policies.  In turn, we have been working with key UK Government departments to take these ideas forward.  Last week’s meeting represented the final seal of approval and the adoption of our package as official UK Government policy.

The key ideas on which we have reached agreement are:  

• The role of regional governments in relation to the application of the subsidiarity principle should be recognised in the European Treaty;
• An early warning mechanism involving Member State parliaments on new proposals be extended to cover the devolved administrations;
• Treaty amendment requiring mandatory consultation by the European Commission of regional authorities on matters for which they have responsibility for implementation;
• Package of reforms for the Committee of the Regions including its elevation to full institutional status.

Having secured the agreement of the UK government as a whole, the paper has been issued to all members of the Convention, in advance of the plenary debate on Regional Issues in Brussels on 7 February.  Peter Hain MP, as the UK Government’s representative on the Convention, will intervene in the debate using this paper as his text.  
 
This process has achieved two things.  Firstly, it has ensured that Wales’ voice will be heard clearly in the heart of the debate on the Future of Europe.  Secondly, it has shown that devolution within the UK is a street with two-way traffic.  Along with colleagues in Scotland we have successfully persuaded the UK Government to adopt and promote these policies on behalf of all parts of the UK.  This represents a major achievement for Wales in taking forward our European agenda and, in the process, securing the weight of the UK Government in support of our ideas.