THERE is potential for conflict between the UK and Scottish governments due to “stark contrasts” in relations with the EU, a paper has said.
The Scottish Centre on European Relations (SCER) has released a policy paper on the topic of Scotland’s future relationship with the EU.
The SCER produced the report with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation UK and Ireland, and looked in detail at the differing policies between the UK and Holyrood parliaments.
Although Scotland does not have its own foreign policy, as that area is devolved to Westminster, the paper notes the country’s pro-EU stance differs greatly to that down south where the Government is pushing a “global Britain” agenda.
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And, as the SNP are hoping for Scotland to become independent and rejoin the EU afterwards, the UK Government may be suspicious of the Scottish Government’s policy decisions in certain areas as they will see it as indirectly contributing “to the goal of independence in the EU”.
It is also noted that the issue of Scotland’s network of diplomatic offices in Europe may become a point of “simmering tension” between the two governments.
Written by Dr Kirsty Hughes, the paper explains that although there is no specific foreign policy, in devolved areas such as environment, health, education, culture and economy, Scotland has a “clear para-diplomacy and European strategy”.
The paper reads: “This para-diplomacy is rather neuralgic for the UK Government both due to its ‘global Britain’ foreign policy and to the UK Government’s aim to stop the UK from fragmenting.
“There is a potentially unstable triangle here of Scotland-EU, EU-UK and UK-Scotland relationships all impacting on Scotland’s European relations.
“Yet, overall, it is in both Scotland’s and the UK’s interests to have positive relationships with the EU.”
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Scotland also has four main offices in the EU – in Brussels, Berlin, Dublin and Paris – and is looking to open more, which could be a point of contention.
The SNP set out plans for two new Nordic and Baltic hubs in its 2021 manifesto.
As staff in the existing offices only number around three or four, the paper queries whether or not the focus will be on expanding the current hubs over creating new ones.
It goes on: “The political and constitutional tensions and disagreement between the UK and Scottish governments are also simmering here.
“There are some concerns that, while Scotland’s European and international offices are not unusual, the UK Government may want to rein them in, monitor them more closely or impede their expansion (located as the eight key offices generally are in UK embassies).”
The paper also examines our trade links with the EU.
Hughes told The National: “There are sharp contrasts and potential for conflict in the UK Government’s ‘global Britain’ foreign policy and Scotland’s pro-European para-diplomacy.
“The Scottish Government’s network of EU and international offices may come under increasing pressure from the UK Government”.
Hughes said that there was still “sympathy” with Scotland in Europe due to Brexit, and that an independent Scotland could see a “speedy EU accession”.
She added: “The Scottish Government’s European strategy aims to present Scotland as a constructive, mature European player, including showing it understands that the EU and its member states will remain neutral on Scotland’s constitutional questions and that Scotland should not expect – nor will it get – special treatment.”
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