First Minister Carwyn Jones said:
“Today signals the end of months of speculation and the start of a critical period of negotiation which will shape our future relationship with Europe and the wider world.
“We remain committed to the priorities set out in our white paper, Securing Wales’ Future, which puts full and unfettered access to the Single Market first and foremost.
“Our white paper sets out a sensible negotiating position for the UK as a whole, and has already influenced the UK Government’s approach in important areas including maintaining full access to the Single Market, upholding existing employment rights and the importance of transitional arrangements.
“While we have often been frustrated with the processes by which we’ve arrived at this point today, we must now concentrate on the job in hand. We stand ready to work constructively with the UK Government to secure a deal which protects Welsh businesses, our economy and the future prosperity of Wales.
“If, as negotiations progress, we believe our priorities are not being championed or our representation falls below a level we find acceptable, we will not remain silent. We will not allow Wales to be side-lined – we will be outspoken and our voice will be heard.
“As a leader of a country which voted to leave the EU, we are wholly focused on securing Wales’ future. We will step up to the plate and do all we can to deliver the best possible outcome for Wales.”
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