European Commission President Romano Prodi, on his first visit to Wales, has warned the UK that closer integration with Europe is inevitable.

Mr Prodi, accompanied by EC Vice President Neil Kinnock and Welsh Secretary Paul Murphy, issued a warning to the British government, saying that any country which turned away from the euro risked being "wiped out".

Germany, France, the UK and Italy have no voice if they remain alone

Romano Prodi, EC President

During the visit, Mr Prodi travelled to projects bankrolled using European aid and met with a wide range of people to gauge views on closer European integration.

He also handed out chocolate euros to schoolchildren, and visited an ice cream parlour on the seafront in the Mumbles, Swansea.

The EC chief also reinforced the commission's commitment to Wales by opening its new office in Cardiff Bay and spoke of the "fantastic impression" he gained from his visit and the Welsh people.

Mr Prodi said he felt the UK's decision on whether to join the euro was a political, and not an economic decision.

"Germany, France, the UK and Italy have no voice if they remain alone," he said.

The UK government position has said it will only make its decision on whether to recommend entry after assessing its five economic tests.

President Prodi at Verdi's in Swansea

Mr Prodi's visit to south Wales comes days after he made a controversial speech in the European Parliament.

The president said he was determined to increase the political and economic powers of the EU, and demanded wide-ranging new powers for Brussels.

Proposals included extra economic powers for the 12 states in the euro currency zone - which could leave the UK in the lower step of a two-tier European economy.

Mr Prodi also said that Europe needed to start speaking with a single voice on foreign affairs.

The UK Government said it was relaxed about the plans - a treasury spokesman said they were "simply suggestions among a large number which have been put up for debate."

During his south Wales visit, Mr Prodi told BBC Wales that his plan for a two-tier Europe, was not designed to pressurise the British government.

He said that, in the long term, there was no alternative to the plan.

Mr Prodi added that Wales, as an area with a large manufacturing sector, had a strong interest in belonging to the euro.

President's plan

Wales Labour MPs were expected to use the visit to drive home the message that Wales is doing well at spending European grants.

The visit began at Verdi's ice cream parlour on Swansea's Mumbles resort, where he met children from Oystermouth School and students from the University of Wales, Swansea.

Mr Prodi then travelled to the city's Technium business centre to see how EU funding is helping to develop Welsh business.

Mr Prodi will then move on to Cardiff for the official opening of the new office of the European Commission's Representation in Wales at Caspian Point in Cardiff Bay.