AN INDEPENDENT Scotland would have to embark on an “urgent” multi-million pound spending spree to create a network of international embassies and consular staff to announce its arrival on the world stage, a leading expert on the EU has warned.
• Independent Scotland would need representation in all 26 member states of the EU as well as other major trading partners with large Scottish diaspora
• Exact cost of creating network of consular staff and embassies expected to cost millions of pounds
• Scotland could expect to get ‘exceptional’ treatment when it seeks to join the EU, with Brussels likely to be favourable towards Scottish membership
The country would need representation in all 26 member states of the EU, as well as other major trading partners and nations with large Scottish diaspora, according to Professor Richard Rose, Director, Centre for the Study of Public Policy, University of Strathclyde.
Scotland would be “starting from scratch” on the world stage and could “innovate forms of representation” in other countries.
But the academic added: “Whatever was done would require a substantial capital investment, recruitment and training of staff, and involve significant recurrent costs.
“It would have to be done as a matter of urgency concurrently with creating new ministries in Edinburgh to take over responsibilities for powers that are currently not devolved.”
The exact cost is unknown, but UK Government sources have previously indicated this would run into millions of pounds.
EU decision-making and rules for super-majorities when votes are counted mean that individual countries, whatever their size, must form alliances on an issue by issue basis to ensure their voice is heard, Professor Rose added.
“It is a diplomatic truism that to represent a country it is necessary to be present, whether or not the EU committee meeting is one in which a country has an interest,” he says in a submission to Westminster’s Foreign Affairs committee.
Brussels ‘favourable’ towards Scottish EU membership
But Scotland could expect to get “exceptional” treatment when it seeks to join the EU, with Brussels is likely to be “favourable” towards Scottish membership, according to the academic. Scotland already rates “more highly” than most other current candidates for EU membership in terms of key criteria like its commitment to democracy, economic strength and avoidance of corruption.
“Thus, Brussels would likely view a Scottish application for membership favourably,” he said.
“Given such unprecedented circumstances as EU laws already applying in Scotland, Scotland might seek and receive exceptional treatment.”
The EU has become a key battleground in the independence debate, with concerns that Scotland could find its membership blocked by countries like Spain which wants discourage its own separatist movement in Catalonia. There are also concerns that Scotland could be forced to sign up to the Euro and adopt an “open borders” policy, which the UK is currently excluded from.