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There's no guarantee that Scotland will be allowed into the EEA or EU as an independent nation. In fact, some member states are opposed to it.
by bussie 10y ago
There's no guarantee that Scotland will be allowed into the EEA or EU as an independent nation. In fact, some member states are opposed to it.
- s_dev 10y agoThats not true. Scotland would have to apply but Brexit negotiators said the application could even be fast tracked and wouldn't be a big problem for Scotland to rejoin. >Jacqueline Minor, the European commission’s head of representation in the UK, said Scotland would need to formally apply after leaving the UK, although it could be fast-tracked because it already complies with EU rules and regulations. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/feb/10/independent-scotland-would-have-to-apply-for-eu-membership https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/feb/10/independent... Spain are concerned that it might a set a precedent for Catalonia to get independence but if the Scottish independence came about because of the UK leaving the EU Spain will be conformable in allowing Scotland to join.
- iMark 10y agoThere is, however, a guarantee that a non-independent Scotland will be part of neither as a result of Brexit. There's no small irony to the fact that scaremongering around Europe was such a big focus of the Better Together campaign in the run up to the first referendum.
- nailer 10y ago> In fact, some member states are opposed to it. Which ones? Generally the EU wants more stable democracies to hold up the others.
- rkachowski 10y agoThe classic example is usually presented as Spain, due to fears of setting a precedent that the Basque Country and Catalan could follow to remove themselves from Spain.
- iMark 10y agoSpain has previously come out strongly against an independent Scotland joining the EU, largely because of the issue of Catalonian independence.
- falsedan 10y agoThat was in the context of the 2014 Indyref, with the main point of contention being whether independent Scotland would remain in the EU or be forced to re-apply for membership (and potentially be blocked by Spanish veto). The context now is that independent Scotland would have to apply, as it will be a successor state of a non-EU member. I think Spain et al. are fine with this since the precedence it sets will be hard for Basque nationalists to follow.
- s_kilk 10y agoMore recently the Spaniards have stated they won't block Scotland from joining the EU.
- NachoDuck 10y agoPrimarily Spain I think? I couldn't find a good source saying they would block the membership outright but there's an article here which includes some details about which states are opposed the EU negotiating potential membership for Scotland as part of Brexit (I realise that's slightly different to Scotland joining as an independent nation). 'Brexit: Spain and France oppose Scotland EU talks' - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-36656980 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-3665...
- ruairidhwm 10y agoSpain is less of an argument now as Catalonia have always been a region of Spain whereas Scotland is its own nation which joined the UK through the Act of Union. It's a different legal precedent. Also, I imagine that Spain will do what they're encouraged to do by thE EC considering the budgetary reliance.
- mezod 10y agowait what? Catalonia has always been what? Nope.
- ruairidhwm 10y agoHey - if I'm wrong then I'd love to be corrected as I'm currently labouring under the impression that Catalonia is legally a region of Spain and has been part of Spain since around 1469 which was when the concept of what we now know as Spain started. Not at all wanting a flame-war etc but if I'm wrong then I'd really like to know! :)
- mezod 10y agoSorry, I now realize my answer could appear to be rude when it wasn't my intention. The correct year to consider it fully a region of Spain would be 1714, when the Spanish army defeated the catalans and removed most of its state structures/institutions, etc. This article's intro might help: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Catalonia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Catalonia I don't want to bore you with a history lesson that I myself might not know accurately, but I feel the need to say that different namings for the same levels of independence of state structures should be taken into consideration. So saying "Catalonia has always been a region of Spain" is far from the truth or at least it skips a lot of history.
- therealmarv 10y agoWell there is really no guarantee but Scotland will pass all tests easily and whole EU will probably help them ;)
- mrec 10y agoIs that still true? AIUI the Stability and Growth Pact [1] requires EU members to limit their deficits to 3% of GDP, and Scotland's deficit in 2016 was approaching 10% after North Sea oil revenues collapsed. Right now it's only fiscal transfers from England via the Barnett formula keeping Scottish spending afloat, and neither spending cuts nor tax rises are traditional political winners. Which is not to say it's impossible (as some have, [2]); the EU has turned a blind eye when convenient before and I'm sure will do again. But many in the EU might be reluctant to go that route again after the way Greece turned out. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stability_and_Growth_Pact https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stability_and_Growth_Pact [2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2016/08/25/scotlands-budget-deficit-the-largest-in-europe-couldnt-join-the-eu-if-it-wanted-to/#7abab89933a5 https://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2016/08/25/scotland...