Scotland’s Place in Europe

SCOTLAND’S PLACE IN EUROPE | 3
b) Solidarity – supporting the ability of nations to come together for the common
good of all of our citizens to tackle crime and terrorism and deal with important
global challenges like climate change; protecting the rights of EU citizens to
settle in Scotland and continue to contribute to the development of our economic
prosperity and diverse communities with reciprocal arrangements for our
citizens living, working and studying in other EU countries.
c) Social protection – ensuring the continued protection of workers’ rights and
maintaining social, environmental and human rights advances.
d) Democratic interests – respecting Scotland’s overwhelming vote to remain in the
EU and ensuring that Scotland’s distinctive voice is heard, particularly in our
future relationship with the EU and European Single Market, and that our wishes
are respected.
e) Influence – safeguarding our ability to shape the laws and policies that define our
future economic and social development.
Our strategy and options in summary
9. We believe that the best option for the UK as a whole, and for Scotland, would be
the one Scotland voted for – to remain in the EU. We believe that membership of
the EU, for all its imperfections, would provide the best possible future for the UK
and would best protect Scotland’s interests. However, we acknowledge that England
and Wales voted to leave the EU and that the UK Government’s current position is
to take the UK out of the EU. In that context, our strategy – short of independence
– is to mitigate the risks that Brexit poses to Scotland’s interests and involves the
following options:
a) Influencing the overall UK position so that the UK remains in the European Single
Market, through the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement and also in the
EU Customs Union. We believe that Scotland’s interests would be best, though
not comprehensively, secured by the continuation of the rights and freedoms we
enjoy as members of the European Single Market, along with the broader
economic and social benefits which adhering to the free movement for persons,
goods and capital provides for us. Remaining in the EEA would mean being part
of an existing structure for engagement, which would provide greater certainty
for businesses and citizens. Given the many years, perhaps decades, of
uncertainty involved in the pursuit of bespoke deals with the EU and other
world trade partners, we believe Scotland’s interests would be best served if the
UK retained its membership of the EEA. A clear and early signal to that effect
would provide influential leadership, offer comparatively simpler options and
greater stability. We also believe that it is in the UK’s and Scotland’s interests to
stay within the EU Customs Union.
b) Exploring differentiated options for Scotland within the UK that provide the
closest possible relationship with the EU and the European Single Market in the
event that the UK Government chooses to leave the EU Customs Union and
Single Market. In particular, this paper argues that the UK should support
Scotland remaining within the European Single Market, even if the outcome for
the rest of the UK is to leave the EEA. In addition, the Scottish Parliament should