Could Scotland stay in the EU if it votes to leave the UK?
Entry to the bloc is not as easy as simply winning a vote for independence
MSPs at the Scottish parliament voted this week to push for a second independence referendum, but if Scotland votes to leave the UK, can it still be part of the EU?
Can Scotland stay in the EU if it becomes independent?
Nobody knows for sure, but the consensus is no and an independent Scotland will have to reapply to join the EU as a new member state.That was the view of Jacqueline Minor, the European Commission's head of representation in the UK, reports The Guardian, although she did say that Holyrood might be able to fast-track its application because its laws would already accord with EU legislation.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What is the Barroso doctrine?
Earlier this month, when asked about Nicola Sturgeon's call for a new vote on independence, European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said the Barroso doctrine "would apply, obviously", The Guardian reports. The doctrine dates back to 2012, when Jose Manuel Barroso, then European Commission president, wrote that a newly-independent state would have to join the queue to apply for membership of the EU.Barroso said: "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."
Who else is on the list to join?
The EU is an exclusive club, with a waiting list of states which would like to be part of it. Official candidates at the moment include Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The big question is whether Scotland can skip the queue or would be required to prove its case like the other states.
What currency would Scotland use?
The ruling Scottish National Party has repeatedly rejected the idea of signing up to the euro as using a different currency from its biggest trading partner, England, could be a crippling handicap. However, the EU would almost certainly expect an independent Scotland to sign up to the single currency.
When could an independent Scotland join the EU?
Nobody knows, but using Nicola Sturgeon's timetable of a vote on independence in 2018 or 2019, it is hard to find an expert willing to suggest the country could become part of the EU sooner than 2022.The first delay would be opposition from European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who has said he does not want to see any new states join the bloc during his term in office, which ends in 2020.Former EU official Kirsty Hughes told The Guardian it would take at least three to four years for Scotland to join after becoming independent. Assuming a 2019 referendum, that would mean 2022 or 2023.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
India elections start amid violence, hate speech accusations
Talking Points Narendra Modi seeks a third term while critics worry about the future of the country's democracy
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'Biden is smart to keep the border-security pressure on'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Bird flu worries mount as virus found in milk, cows
Speed Read The FDA found traces of the virus in pasteurized grocery store milk
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Peter Murrell: Sturgeon's husband charged over SNP 'embezzlement' claims
Speed Read SNP expresses 'shock' as former chief executive rearrested in long-running investigation into claims of mishandled campaign funds
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Will Aukus pact survive a second Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question US, UK and Australia seek to expand 'game-changer' defence partnership ahead of Republican's possible return to White House
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
It's the economy, Sunak: has 'Rishession' halted Tory fightback?
Today's Big Question PM's pledge to deliver economic growth is 'in tatters' as stagnation and falling living standards threaten Tory election wipeout
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Why your local council may be going bust
The Explainer Across England, local councils are suffering from grave financial problems
By The Week UK Published
-
Rishi Sunak and the right-wing press: heading for divorce?
Talking Point The Telegraph launches 'assault' on PM just as many Tory MPs are contemplating losing their seats
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet, The Week UK Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
How the biggest election year in history might play out
The Explainer Votes in world's biggest democracies, as well as its most 'despotic' and 'stressed' countries, face threats of violence and suppression
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published