The Welsh Government have undertaken no assessment of the economic impact or opportunities of the European Council meeting that was held in Cardiff in 1998 in their preparations for this year’s NATO summit, it has emerged.
In response to a question from Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for the Economy Eluned Parrott AM, the Welsh Government has confirmed that the it has no record of this kind of work having been carried out.
Responding to the news, Eluned Parrott said:
“It is astonishing that with the Nato summit just a few months away, the Welsh Government haven’t been proactive in assessing the impact of the last major political summit to be hosted by Wales, the European Council meeting in 1998. While smaller in scale, it is the only time Wales has hosted such a high profile international summit, and is far more comparable in terms of the audience and type of event than any of the sporting events that we have hosted since then.
“While the European Council meeting predates devolution, it is the Welsh Government’s job to ensure that Wales gains the maximum economic advantage and international profile from this once in a lifetime opportunity. The obvious starting point would be to learn lessons from other comparable events, regardless of who had organised it.
“The European Council meeting in Cardiff was a showcase for Cardiff and for Wales, but sadly there were negative comments at that time from some London-based commentators. If we are to ensure that we show the best that Wales has to offer, we need to make sure we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.
“In working with the UK Government to deliver this huge event, I would urge the Welsh Government to look again at how agencies responsible for promoting Wales in terms of tourism and business development at that time used the opportunity, so that we can learn lessons and go one better this time around.”
