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Scottish referendum: EC urged to hold 'early talks' on independence Scottish independence: Swinney says Barroso wrong over new state membership
(about 5 hours later)
The Scottish government has written to the European Commission calling for "early talks" on the possibility of Scotland becoming independent. A Scottish minister believes the European Commission president was wrong to say a newly independent state would have to reapply for EU membership.
The move comes in the wake of the EC president, Jose Manuel Barroso, saying a newly independent country would have to reapply to join the EU. John Swinney made his remarks about Jose Manuel Barroso to members of the Lords Economic Affairs Committee.
A commission spokesman said it had no comment to make on the letter sent by Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. The EC president told the BBC that an independent state would have to reapply for European membership "according to the rules".
The Scottish government plans to hold an independence referendum in 2014.The Scottish government plans to hold an independence referendum in 2014.
It has always maintained that, in the event of a "yes" vote, Scotland would "quite clearly" remain part of the European Union and negotiations would take place "from within that context". A href="http://www.parliament.uk/documents/lords-committees/economic-affairs/ScottishIndependence/EA68_Scotland_and_the_EU_Barroso's_reply_to_Lord_Tugendhat_101212.pdf " >letter from Mr Barroso to the House of Lords committee, which is examining the independence question, also confirmed his position that a new independent state would "become a third country with respect to the EU".
Responding to Mr Barroso's intervention - described by Prime Minister David Cameron as "significant" - Ms Sturgeon said the SNP government did not agree that an independent Scotland would have to reapply for European Union membership. rel="stylesheet" rev="stylesheet" href="http://static.bbci.co.uk/modules/twitter/0.1.64/css/gel_preset.css"/> rel="stylesheet" rev="stylesheet" href="http://static.bbci.co.uk/modules/twitter/0.1.64/css/gel_single_account.css"/>
She said early talks were now being sought with the European Commission to discuss the specific process of Scotland becoming independent. Swinney: Because it would have an inherent interest to the sterling zone which would be created href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23lords" target="_blank">#lords
The EC confirmed that the letter had been received. A spokesman added that it had no comment to make at the moment, but a reply would be sent in due course. href="http://twitter.com/TimReidBBC/status/278540074264702976" title="View this Tweet on Twitter">3 Minutes ago href="https://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=278540074264702976" title="Favourite on Twitter" class="wi_favourite"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=278540074264702976" title="Retweet on Twitter" class="wi_retweet"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=278540074264702976" title="Reply on Twitter" class="wi_reply">
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    A letter from Mr Barroso to the House of Lords economic committee, which is examining the independence question, also confirmed his position that a new independent state would "become a third country with respect to the EU". href="http://twitter.com/TimReidBBC/status/278539958355128322" title="View this Tweet on Twitter">4 Minutes ago href="https://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=278539958355128322" title="Favourite on Twitter" class="wi_favourite"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=278539958355128322" title="Retweet on Twitter" class="wi_retweet"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=278539958355128322" title="Reply on Twitter" class="wi_reply">
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    The Scottish government has written to the EC calling for "early talks" on the possibility of Scotland becoming independent.
    A commission spokesman said it had no comment to make on the letter sent by Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, but it would reply in due course.
    The Scottish government has always maintained that, in the event of a "yes" vote, Scotland would "quite clearly" remain part of the European Union and negotiations would take place "from within that context".
    The president, in an interview with the BBC's Hardtalk programme, said the position was set out in clear legal terms.The president, in an interview with the BBC's Hardtalk programme, said the position was set out in clear legal terms.
    He explained: "I did not comment on specific situations of member states because I very much respect that it is their right, their sovereign right to decide about their organisation.He explained: "I did not comment on specific situations of member states because I very much respect that it is their right, their sovereign right to decide about their organisation.
    "What I said, and it is our doctrine and it is clear since 2004 in legal terms, if one part of a country - I am not referring now to any specific one - wants to become an independent state, of course as an independent state it has to apply to the European membership according to the rules - that is obvious.""What I said, and it is our doctrine and it is clear since 2004 in legal terms, if one part of a country - I am not referring now to any specific one - wants to become an independent state, of course as an independent state it has to apply to the European membership according to the rules - that is obvious."
    Meanwhile, Scotland's Finance Secretary John Swinney is expected to be asked about an independent Scotland's place in the EU when he appears before the Lords Economic Affairs Committee later. Appearing before the Lords, Mr Swinney said: "There are a variety of expressions of legal opinion, there was one just the other day there which was expressed by the professor of law for the University Glasgow who made the point in a broadcast interview.
    He is also expected to answer questions about defence jobs and how the SNP expects national debt to be split if the people of Scotland vote for independence. "Prof Tom Mullin says there is no specific provision in the treaty that expressly deals with the situation of a member state breaking up and both parts wanting to stay in and that confirms the view that I am taking."