Question reference: S5W-33513
- Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 25 November 2020
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Current status: Answered by Michael Russell on 4 December 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) formal and (b) informal discussions and/or meetings it has had during the EU Brexit negotiations with the EU's (i) UK Task Force and/or (ii) chief negotiator, and what issues were discussed.
Answer
The following ministerial meetings have taken place. The First Minister of Scotland met with Michel Barnier, the EU’s Chief Negotiator, on four occasions between 2017 and February 2020. The dates of these meetings were 13 July 2017, 28 May 2018, 11 June 2019 and 10 February 2020 and information relating to the first three engagements can be found here: International relations: Ministerial visits and events within Europe - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . The meeting between the First Minister and Mr Barnier in February 2020 is publically recorded here: Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts: February 2020 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . Since February 2020, Scottish Ministers have had two phone calls with the EU’s Task Force. The Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, Europe and External Affairs had a phone call with Clara Martinez Alberola on 22 June 2020 which is publicly recorded here: Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts: June 2020 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . And a phone call between the First Minister and Mr Barnier took place on 25 August 2020, information relating to this is recorded publically here: Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts: August 2020 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .
At each of these engagements, Scottish Ministers set out the Scottish Government’s position on EU exit and the future relationship negotiations, emphasising the desire for the UK to have as close as possible a relationship with the EU. Michel Barnier and members of the European Commission’s Task Force discussed the EU’s approach to the negotiations, and some of the main issues. Scottish Ministers have always been clear that the UK Government is the negotiating party with the European Commission on behalf of the UK, and as such our role has been to seek to influence the UK position. However, meetings like these are important in order to represent Scotland’s direct interests in the EU-UK future relationship and ensure these are understood, for example on issues where Scotland has devolved responsibilities and where Scottish stakeholders and businesses will be affected by the outcome of the negotiations, and to ensure Scottish Ministers have a good understanding of the EU position.