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| Scottish Independence: EC spokesman clarifies new states remark | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A European Commission spokesman has clarified remarks in which he indicated an independent Scotland would not automatically be part of the EU. | |
| Olivier Bailly said a newly independent state would have to apply to join. | |
| He was answering questions on Catalonia, where large pro-independence demonstrations had been held. | He was answering questions on Catalonia, where large pro-independence demonstrations had been held. |
| Mr Bailly has now said that his answer to a specific scenario was not an indication of commission thinking on a possible independent Scotland. | |
| The Scottish government believes that legally an independent Scotland would remain in the EU. | The Scottish government believes that legally an independent Scotland would remain in the EU. |
| Cabinet minister Keith Brown had earlier told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "It is simply our position, and it always has been, that Scotland will accede to the EU simply because we take on the same obligations and treaties that we currently have. | |
| "There is no process for countries to secede from the EU, that is an established fact and nobody is saying otherwise." | "There is no process for countries to secede from the EU, that is an established fact and nobody is saying otherwise." |
| The clarification from Mr Bailly had been prompted following a question on Tuesday he was asked about the membership status of a possible independent Catalonia - where there is a strong movement for independence from Spain. | |
| He responded by saying: "There are two different steps, there is a secession process under international law and the request for accession to EU member state under the EU treaties. In the meantime, of course, the new treaty is not part of the EU as he has to make request for accession." | He responded by saying: "There are two different steps, there is a secession process under international law and the request for accession to EU member state under the EU treaties. In the meantime, of course, the new treaty is not part of the EU as he has to make request for accession." |
| However, by Wednesday lunchtime Mr Bailly had clarified his remarks by saying that in a "hypothetical scenario" of a "part of a EU member state" wishing to leave that member state then it is "first and foremost an internal matter within that member state". | |
| 'Not our business' | |
| He added: "There are several theoretical scenarios under international law and it's not for the Commission to speculate on which choices would be retained - and in any case it's not our business. | |
| Mr Bailly insisted that the Catalonia issue he had addressed could not be used as an indication of the commission's general view. | |
| A spokesman for First Minister Alex Salmond had previously said that in legal and constitutional terms, European experts had confirmed that an independent Scotland would continue in EU membership. | A spokesman for First Minister Alex Salmond had previously said that in legal and constitutional terms, European experts had confirmed that an independent Scotland would continue in EU membership. |
| In May this year, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told a BBC debate that an independent Scotland would automatically gain EU membership, but did not need to use the euro. | In May this year, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told a BBC debate that an independent Scotland would automatically gain EU membership, but did not need to use the euro. |