European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso today reiterated the position that an independent Scotland would have to reaplly for membership of the EU.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso today reiterated the position that an independent Scotland would have to reaplly for membership of the European Union – delivering another hammer blow to SNP leader Alex Salmond’s claims Scotland would remain in the EU if it seceded from the United Kingdom.
Here is a transcript of his interview this afternoon with the BBC’s Hard Talk:
Interviewer: The Commission has made it clear that any country, a country like Scotland, that would choose to be independent, would need to reapply for EU membership. When you think about how that would work, would it just be nodded through, do you think?
Jose Manuel Barroso: “Look, 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. Now, 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.”
BBC: “So, it has to renegotiate its terms?”
JMB: “Yes.”
BBC: “And is it renegotiating those terms from inside, as a member of the EU, or is it effectively reapplying from outside the EU?”
JMB: “We are a union of states, so if there is a new state, of course, that state has to apply for membership and negotiate the conditions with other member states.”
BBC: “So if, and I am using the example of Scotland, and I appreciate you are not talking about specifics, but say a country like Scotland, it, say, chooses independence, it is then like a new state applying to the EU?”
JMB: “For European Union purposes, from a legal point of view, it is certainly a new state. If a country becomes independent it is a new state and has to negotiate with the EU.”
BBC: “What about the rest of the UK that is effectively left behind by Scotland’s independence?”
JMB: “That is the principle of the continuity of the state, in that case if a…”
BBC: “Would it have to renegotiate its terms?”
JMB: “No, no in principle no.”
Another day, another slap down for the SNP… how many more interventions will it take for Salmond to come clean and admit he’s wrong?
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23 Responses to “Watch: EC President Barroso on Scotland: A new state “has to apply for membership””
Matthew Happold
I think Mr Barroso is wrong in one respect. If Scotland were become independent, there would be a push to reduce the rump UK’s voting weight in the Council of Ministers and number of MEPS to take account of shrinkage. But that would be a political imperative, not a legal requirement. Apart from that, he’s absolutely right (and not saying anything Commission representatives haven’t said on a number of previous occasions). The real issue is when negotiations for accession would take place (prior or subsequent to independence) and what conditions might be imposed on Scotland in return for the Member States’ (including the UK) consent to its accession to EU membership.
http://www.ejiltalk.org/scottish-independence-and-the-european-union/#more-5880
Lisa Robertson
Seems you stereotype Scots in favour of Independence. We aren’t all SNP supporters, up til last year I was Labour and unionist so get your facts right! There are a diversity of people in Scotland who aren’t SNP yet you spit out Cybernats like its a dirty word! Unionist scaremongering especially anything from the BBC have folk with brains actually take anything they say with a pinch of salt. Its laughable that folk like you make such a big deal about whether we Scots will be able to stay in EU or have to re-apply..we aren’t some 3rd world country with no resources that would make the like of Barraso and his EU cronies veto Scotland getting a membership again. They’d have to be absolutely crazy with what Scotland has to stop us getting a membership so face it! Whether we have to apply or not and as much as you’d love for Scots to be left in the wilderness its not going to happen! Anyway who’s to say the UK are going to stay in it! Scotland would just follow the other Independent countries that are in the EEU but not the EU! Now off you go back to your blackboard and see what other crap you can come up with!
Newsbot9
Your denial of the basic facts continues, You’re desperate at all costs to avoid an honest discussion, it’s disgusting. You want to *leave*, it’s that simple.
Newsbot9
Your denial of the basic facts continues, You’re desperate at all costs to avoid an honest discussion, it’s disgusting. You want to *leave*, it’s that simple.
Newsbot9
Your denial of the basic facts continues, You’re desperate at all costs to avoid an honest discussion, it’s disgusting. You want to *leave*, it’s that simple.