Scotland is “better prepared than any other country in history for independence,” Nicola Sturgeon has claimed, speaking before the publication of a Scottish government paper on the economy and currency of an independent Scotland.
Tomorrow’s paper, the third release in a series intended to refresh the case for Scotland leaving the UK “will propose that Scotland should rejoin the EU and have its own migration policy to boost its demographic challenges as well as a redesigned energy market that aims to produce secure and low-cost energy. It is also expected to confirm that the SNP would favour Scotland keeping the pound for an unspecified period until it is in a position to move to a Scottish currency,” the Sunday Times reports.
Ms. Sturgeon is being, at best, somewhat disingenuous, argues EU Today publisher Gary Cartwright.
The reality of an independent Scotland joining the EU in its own right (her predecessor Alex Salmond steadfastly insisted that Scotland could leave the UK but remain in the EU) is that it would, as is the case for every new aspiring member, have to agree to prepare to adopt the Euro. It would also mean Scotland becoming a member of the Schengen free movement zone.
An accession country that plans to join the Union must align many aspects of its society – social, economic and political – with those of EU Member States. Much of this alignment is aimed at ensuring that an accession country can operate successfully within the Union’s single market for goods, services, capital and labour – accession is a process of integration. Adopting the euro and joining the euro area takes integration a step further – it is a process of much closer economic integration with the other euro area Member States. Adopting the euro also demands extensive preparations. In particular, it requires economic and legal convergence.
All of this and more – much more – is outlined in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, currently referred to as the Lisbon Treaty.
Important to also consider is the fact that neither the UK or the Republic of Ireland are Schengen members – both were allowed to opt out. The days of the opt out are long over. Scotland, as a member of the EU would therefore be obliged to implement passport and other controls on its border with the UK – similar, for example, to those on the USA’s borders with Mexico and Canada.
The European Commission, incidentally, would like that very much indeed as it would allow them to force onto the agenda something akin to the Northern Ireland Protocol and to interfere with cross-border economic activities.
UK citizens living and working in Scotland would be required to apply for residency in Scotland, or to abide by the 90 days out of every 180 limit imposed on citizens of non-EU countries.
Is Ms. Sturgeon being disingenuous, and deliberately withholding the facts from the Scots in order to push the call for independence (seemingly the SNP’s only policy)?
If so, then we should be very concerned indeed about what a future Scottish government might look like….
Image: Kenneth Halley, via Wikipedia.
(1) https://economy-finance.ec.eur…
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