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| Scottish independence: Referendum campaigners seize on Juncker comments | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Campaigners in Scotland's independence debate have clashed over comments by the new European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker. | Campaigners in Scotland's independence debate have clashed over comments by the new European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker. |
| Mr Juncker has said there would be no new EU member states within the next five years. | Mr Juncker has said there would be no new EU member states within the next five years. |
| The Better Together campaign said the comments confirmed that leaving the UK would mean leaving the EU. | The Better Together campaign said the comments confirmed that leaving the UK would mean leaving the EU. |
| But the Scottish government said Mr Juncker was "absolutely not talking about Scotland". | But the Scottish government said Mr Juncker was "absolutely not talking about Scotland". |
| Mr Juncker made a statement to the European Parliament ahead of a vote that confirmed him as the European Commission's new president, arguing that the EU had rapidly expanded to 28 members and there needed to be "a break from enlargement". | Mr Juncker made a statement to the European Parliament ahead of a vote that confirmed him as the European Commission's new president, arguing that the EU had rapidly expanded to 28 members and there needed to be "a break from enlargement". |
| He told MEPs: "Over the next five years, there won't be any new member states acceding to the European Union. | He told MEPs: "Over the next five years, there won't be any new member states acceding to the European Union. |
| Why are Articles 48 and 49 important to the EU question? | |
| "It's hard to imagine that one of the candidate states with whom we are negotiating will have, in time, met all the accession criteria." | "It's hard to imagine that one of the candidate states with whom we are negotiating will have, in time, met all the accession criteria." |
| Albania, Iceland, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and Macedonia are candidate countries for EU membership. | Albania, Iceland, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and Macedonia are candidate countries for EU membership. |
| The Scottish government has insisted Scotland could negotiate separate EU membership within 18 months if voters opt for independence in the referendum in September, as it already has EU membership as part of the UK. | The Scottish government has insisted Scotland could negotiate separate EU membership within 18 months if voters opt for independence in the referendum in September, as it already has EU membership as part of the UK. |
| However, the UK government has argued that Scotland would have to leave the EU if it gained independence from the UK - then apply to join as an independent state. | However, the UK government has argued that Scotland would have to leave the EU if it gained independence from the UK - then apply to join as an independent state. |
| UK ministers have claimed that EU membership would not be guaranteed and could take several years. | UK ministers have claimed that EU membership would not be guaranteed and could take several years. |
| Labour MSP Jackie Baillie, representing the pro-Union Better Together campaign, said: "It is now clear that, if we leave the UK, we would be leaving the EU. | Labour MSP Jackie Baillie, representing the pro-Union Better Together campaign, said: "It is now clear that, if we leave the UK, we would be leaving the EU. |
| "This would put thousands of Scottish jobs at risk and would be massively damaging to our country. | "This would put thousands of Scottish jobs at risk and would be massively damaging to our country. |
| 'Beyond dispute' | 'Beyond dispute' |
| "Two weeks ago, Alex Salmond hailed Mr Juncker as someone he wanted to do business with, but today he will no doubt accuse him of being wrong or of scaremongering. | "Two weeks ago, Alex Salmond hailed Mr Juncker as someone he wanted to do business with, but today he will no doubt accuse him of being wrong or of scaremongering. |
| "This is not good enough. We cannot walk away from all the benefits of EU membership simply so that the SNP can achieve their political ambitions." | "This is not good enough. We cannot walk away from all the benefits of EU membership simply so that the SNP can achieve their political ambitions." |
| A spokesman for First Minister Alex Salmond said Mr Junker was "absolutely not talking about Scotland" and the comments applied only to existing candidate countries applying to join from outside the EU. | A spokesman for First Minister Alex Salmond said Mr Junker was "absolutely not talking about Scotland" and the comments applied only to existing candidate countries applying to join from outside the EU. |
| "We are not one of those accession countries that he is talking about," he said, adding that it was "beyond dispute that we are part of the EU". | "We are not one of those accession countries that he is talking about," he said, adding that it was "beyond dispute that we are part of the EU". |
| Last week, Mr Juncker said he would "respect the result of Scotland's referendum". | Last week, Mr Juncker said he would "respect the result of Scotland's referendum". |
| The former EU Commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso, said in February that an independent Scotland's entry to the EU would be "extremely difficult". | The former EU Commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso, said in February that an independent Scotland's entry to the EU would be "extremely difficult". |