British jurists: Independent Scotland would lose EU status

EUObserver and other news sources reported on a legal opinion published by the British government on the 11 February 2013 which said that if Scotland split from the United Kingdom it would also lose its EU membership.

The paper also noted that if the EU accepted Scotland as a new member, it would probably be forced to join the euro, it would lose its part of the UK rebate in the EU budget, and if it joined the EU's passport-free Schengen area, the UK would impose passport controls on the new British-Scottish border.

The Scottish government disputed the conclusions.

In April 2013 the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee issued a report (Foreign policy considerations for the UK and Scotland in the event of Scotland becoming an independent country) which said that the rest of the UK should support a 'fast-tracked' application for an independent Scotland to join the EU if Scotland voted for independence in 2014, although the negotiations would be a complex affair

• Primary Source

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/International/Europe http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/International/Europe

ESO: Background information: Deputy First Minister writes to EU Foreign Ministers http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-deputy-first-minister-writes-to-eu-foreign-ministers/

ESO: Background information: Scottish independence: John Swinney rejects EU reapplication reports http://www.europeansources.info/record/scottish-independence-john-swinney-rejects-eu-reapplication-reports/

EurActiv, 17.01.13: Scotland will not reapply to EU from outside: Salmond http://www.euractiv.com/uk-europe/post-referendum-scotland-reapply-news-517096

BBC News, 11.02.13: Scottish independence: Scotland would be 'separate state' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-21380288

BBC News: Tag: Scotland's future http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/16630456

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/scotland-analysis-devolution-and-the-implications-of-scottish-independence https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/scotland-analysis-devolution-and-the-implications-of-scottish-independence

Huffington Post, 11.02.13: Scotland Independence: Lawyers Say Independent Nation Would Have To Renegotiate International Status http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/02/11/scotland-independence-law_n_2659922.html

Huffington Post: Tag: Scotlands Referendum http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/scotlands-referendum

EUObserver, 30.04.13: Scottish EU membership is 'no formality' http://euobserver.com/political/120006

United Kingdom: Parliament: House of Commons: Committees: Foreign Affairs Committee: Report 2012-13: Foreign policy considerations for the UK and Scotland in the event of Scotland becoming an independent country http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/foreign-affairs-committee/news/scotland-substantial/

BBC News, 01.05.13: Scottish independence: Damage to UK's reputation 'inevitable' say MPs http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-22358118

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