30-06-2016, 21:05
(This post was last modified: 30-06-2016, 21:06 by hibeejim21.)
Discussions on transitional arrangements for an independent Scotland to remain in the European Union (EU) after the UK leaves are taking place in Brussels, a former senior adviser to the European Commission (EC) has disclosed.
As the Press Association reports, Dr Kirsty Hughes told MSPs discussions are taking place about putting Scotland in a “transitional holding pen” after Brexit to avoid “an absurd out and then in process”.
She urged MSPs to hold a second independence referendum by summer 2017 at the latest, if it is judged to be in the best interests of Scotland, to allow the EU to start work on these transitional arrangements.
However, she warned the EU “does not want a mini-UK” and said Scotland is unlikely to keep the UK’s “awkward squad” opt-outs of the euro, justice and home affairs and the UK budget rebate.
Hughes, now an associate fellow of the Friends of Europe, told Holyrood’s European and External Relations Committee:
I talk to people in Brussels, off the record, who are talking about Scotland being in some sort of transitional holding pen.
It wouldn’t have a seat in the council of ministers until ratification of the treaties, but it wouldn’t have to go through an absurd out and then in process.
I go through all that for now because I think there is a timing issue.
If Scotland waits until nearly the end of the two years to say, ‘This isn’t okay and now we’re having an independence referendum’, you might not have had that and had time to have the negotiations with the rest of the UK on dissolving the union before the whole of the UK has left.
So, it’s obviously a very big political judgement about whether and when to call an independence referendum.
If it was only a question of logic, you would call it as soon as possible in my view.
You would call it, anyway, let’s say, by next summer because then you would have actually had the dissolution talks - if it was successful - with the UK before the UK left.
That would make it much easier for the EU to get into some of these transitional holding pen arrangements than otherwise
As the Press Association reports, Dr Kirsty Hughes told MSPs discussions are taking place about putting Scotland in a “transitional holding pen” after Brexit to avoid “an absurd out and then in process”.
She urged MSPs to hold a second independence referendum by summer 2017 at the latest, if it is judged to be in the best interests of Scotland, to allow the EU to start work on these transitional arrangements.
However, she warned the EU “does not want a mini-UK” and said Scotland is unlikely to keep the UK’s “awkward squad” opt-outs of the euro, justice and home affairs and the UK budget rebate.
Hughes, now an associate fellow of the Friends of Europe, told Holyrood’s European and External Relations Committee:
I talk to people in Brussels, off the record, who are talking about Scotland being in some sort of transitional holding pen.
It wouldn’t have a seat in the council of ministers until ratification of the treaties, but it wouldn’t have to go through an absurd out and then in process.
I go through all that for now because I think there is a timing issue.
If Scotland waits until nearly the end of the two years to say, ‘This isn’t okay and now we’re having an independence referendum’, you might not have had that and had time to have the negotiations with the rest of the UK on dissolving the union before the whole of the UK has left.
So, it’s obviously a very big political judgement about whether and when to call an independence referendum.
If it was only a question of logic, you would call it as soon as possible in my view.
You would call it, anyway, let’s say, by next summer because then you would have actually had the dissolution talks - if it was successful - with the UK before the UK left.
That would make it much easier for the EU to get into some of these transitional holding pen arrangements than otherwise