THE UK will not be able to veto an independent Scotland rejoining the EU.
The confirmation is provided in the full text of the treaty agreed by Boris Johnson’s government and Brussels, which has now been published in full.
The 1246-page document, which is subject to the approval of MPs and MEPs, includes a passage about the possibility of new countries joining the EU.
In Article FINPROV.10, “Future accessions to the [European] Union”, it states that the bloc will notify the UK of “any new request for accession of a third country to the Union”.
🇪🇺🇬🇧Here is the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement - the result of many months of intensive and dedicated work:
— Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) December 26, 2020
👉 https://t.co/Vq3VKBB01y
During any talks between the EU and a third country regarding the accession of that country to the bloc, the text states the EU will “endeavour to … take into account any concerns expressed by the United Kingdom”.
Analysing the agreement on social media, EU law professor Steve Peers said the section ruled out the possibility of Downing Street being able to veto an independent Scotland joining the EU.
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He posted: “In blunt political terms: any Unionist claim that rUK could veto a Scottish application to join the EU via this clause would be a lie.”
He added: “Leaving the merits of both issues aside, of course there would be issues for rUK and EU to discuss in the event of a Scottish application to join the EU. And rUK would be advocating for its own interests regardless of whether this clause existed or not.”
That conclusion was backed Scottish Centre on European Relaitons director Kirsty Hughes.
She responded: “Indeed, no rUK veto on future independent Scotland accession to EU. Independence would anyway need parts of EU-UK deal to be renegotiated not least fish, & any independent Scotland transition out of UK & into EU will require some three-way discussions of EU, rUK, Scotland.”
Indeed, no rUK veto on future iScotland accession to EU. Independence wd anyway need parts of EU-UK deal to be renegotiated not least fish, & any iScotland transition out of UK & into EU will require some three-way discussions of EU, rUK, Scotland https://t.co/Gbwm5U4tiu
— Kirsty Hughes (@KirstyS_Hughes) December 26, 2020
That clarification was welcomed by Joanna Cherry.
The SNP MP tweeted: “Good to know that rUK will have no veto on an #independent Scotland rejoining the EU. Was never really in question but nice to have that clarity.”
MPs and peers will be called back to Westminster on December 30 to vote on the Brexit deal, but MEPs are not expected to approve it until the new year, meaning it will have to apply provisionally until they give it the green light.
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