Question reference: S5W-31892
- Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 17 September 2020
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Current status: Answered by Michael Russell on 28 September 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, Europe and External Affairs on 18 August 2020 (Official Report, c.71) that "if a former President of the European Council can say to my face that we would be able to join the EU, I will take his word for it", on what date the former President offered the cabinet secretary this opinion; whether this has been confirmed in writing and if (a) so, whether it will publish this and (b) not, whether it will ask the former President to confirm his position, and whether it will place a copy of the response in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).
Answer
The views of two former presidents of the EU Council are already on the public record. In September last year Herman Van Rompuy gave an interview to the BBC in which he said: "I think there is a change, yes, because for a lot of people they are looking at what Scottish people are in favour of. They want to stay in the European Union and at the same time they are prevented to stay in the European Union."
Donald Tusk, in February this year, when pressed on the level of support in the EU towards an independent Scotland joining the European Union said: "Emotionally I have no doubt that everyone will be enthusiastic here in Brussels, and more generally in Europe. If you ask me about our emotions, you will witness I think always empathy."
I hold a range of meetings some of which are of course, by the nature of international diplomacy, private and I am in no doubt that these expressions of openness and sympathy to Scotland being taken out of the EU against the express will of her people are typical of a widely held view at many levels within the EU and its member states.
It is of course the Scottish Government’s intention that an independent Scotland would re-join the EU, and our 47-year history means we are uniquely placed to do so, but of course we recognise that membership of the EU will be subject to negotiation with the European Commission, the European Parliament and EU member states consistent with the provisions of the EU Treaties.