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| Scottish independence: John Swinney rejects EU reapplication reports | Scottish independence: John Swinney rejects EU reapplication reports |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Scottish government has insisted an independent Scotland would remain in the EU, despite reports suggesting the country would have to reapply. | The Scottish government has insisted an independent Scotland would remain in the EU, despite reports suggesting the country would have to reapply. |
| Finance Secretary John Swinney told the BBC membership was not in question, but negotiations on detail would be needed. | Finance Secretary John Swinney told the BBC membership was not in question, but negotiations on detail would be needed. |
| He spoke after a report in the Scotsman newspaper said the European Commission had confirmed in a letter that a go-alone Scotland would have to reapply. | He spoke after a report in the Scotsman newspaper said the European Commission had confirmed in a letter that a go-alone Scotland would have to reapply. |
| A referendum on Scottish independence is scheduled for the autumn of 2014. | A referendum on Scottish independence is scheduled for the autumn of 2014. |
| The European Commission has yet to confirm the details of the letter, which was sent to the House of Lords economic affairs sub committee. | |
| Mr Swinney told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "When Scotland votes in the referendum in 2014, and assuming there is a yes vote as a result of that referendum, Scotland will still be at that stage a part of the UK, and what we have always accepted is there has to be a negotiation about the details and the terms of Scotland's membership of the EU. | |
| "But crucially that would be taking place at a time when we are still part of the UK, and still part of the EU of which we have been members for 40 years." | |
| He added that there was an important distinction between Scotland "applying" and "negotiating". | |
| Mr Swinney said it was clear that after becoming independent the country would be negotiating "from within". | |
| The minister believed that any talks on agreeing new terms of membership would be completed by 2016. | |
| Lords on the economic sub committee are currently looking at the issue of independence and what impact it would have on Scotland and the rest of the UK. | |
| They wrote to the European Commission asking for guidance on what would happen to an independent Scotland's future membership of the EU. | |
| Labour peer Lord George Foulkes, who is on the committee, told the Scotsman: "I understand [the president of the European Commission] Jose Manuel Barosso will be replying to the economic affairs sub committee on the economic impact of separation and we have had evidence here in Brussels confirming Scotland would have to seek accession to the European Union." |