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Petition Number: P-06-1414 Petition title: Prepare a bid for Wales to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest Text of petition: Wales is known around the world as “The Land of Song”, and we have a rich culture of music and performance which is recognised and celebrated internationally. Wales should have the opportunity to be represented at Eurovision as a nation in its own right. Therefore, we call on the Welsh Government to work with S4C and other relevant bodies to prepare a bid for Wales to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest. The requirement to compete at Eurovision is to be an active member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). S4C is already an active member of the EBU. Wales has already taken part in Jeux Sans Frontières, Eurovision Choir and the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.
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The Eurovision Song Contest is organised yearly by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), together with a Host Broadcaster and around 40 Participating Broadcasters.
The Contest is overseen by the Reference Group on behalf of the Participating Broadcasters, and each Participating Broadcaster is represented by a Head of Delegation. The EBU’s website makes no reference to governmental involvement.
The Eurovision Song Contest website explains:
The Eurovision Song Contest is an internationally televised songwriting competition, organised by the European Broadcasting Union and featuring participants chosen by EBU member broadcasters representing their countries from across Europe and beyond.
The membership list of the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) is available on the EBU website. Members from the UK are the BBC, S4C, ITV and STV. The BBC is the UK’s Participating Broadcaster, and so runs the process of selecting the UK entry to the contest.
Wales (through S4C) has submitted entries to Jeux Sans Frontieres and the Junior Eurovision Song Contest (other EBU events) in years when other UK nations have not competed. Wales competed in Eurovision Choir (another EBU event) in 2019, when Scotland also competed from the UK.
In 2022 the Senedd debated the Welsh Conservative motion :
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes the European Broadcasting Union’s statement on the 17 June 2022.
2. Regrets the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest cannot be held in Ukraine due to Russia’s ongoing invasion.
Calls on the Welsh Government to engage with the BBC and the European Broadcasting Union regarding hosting the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in Wales.
And a Plaid Cymru amendment:
Add as new point at end of motion:
Further calls on the Welsh Government to also prepare a bid for Wales to take part as a nation in its own right in the Eurovision Song Contest, furthering Wales’s presence on the international stage.
In replying for the Welsh Government, then then Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport said:
Should we be successful for any bid for this great event, we would fully honour the EBU's commitment to ensure that the 2023 event reflects Ukraine's win this year, and any entry would be a UK entry, because Eurovision is a competition held amongst broadcasting networks, and entries are from the main public service broadcasters of each country, and for the UK this is the BBC. The BBC would therefore need to withdraw from being the UK's Eurovision broadcaster before Wales could be allowed to compete in its own right. A devolved Government does not mean separate participation.
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