We are Europeans fae aw airts o the continent an aroon the warld.
We want the fowk o Scotland tae ken that Europeans aw-whaur wid be blythe tae hae them rejine the European Union gin this is aye their democratic ettle an wish.
Tae the Heids o State an Government o the European Union, Preses o the European Cooncil, Preses an Memmers o the European Pairliament, Preses an Memmers o the Commission:
We are Europeans fae aw airts o the continent an aroon the warld. It is naitural that we dinnae aye see thegither on aw maitters. But we see thegither on this: we want the fowk o Scotland tae ken that Europeans aw-whaur wid be blythe tae hae them rejine the European Union gin this is aye their democratic ettle an wish.
In the 2016 Brexit referendum no ae single pairt o Scotland votit tae leave, an the haill polity o Scotland gied a 24% majority tae bide on in the EU. Sinsyne, the Scottish Pairlament has rejectit the ootgangin process at ilka stage. Yet, in 2020, Scotland wis taen oot the European Union alang wi the ither kintraes that mak up the United Kingdom.
When Scots votit tae bide in the EU they were aye pairt o the UK. Tae lowse themsels fae the UK an become an independent memmer state o the EU is anither an sindry maitter. This needs its ain referendum, ane that has been formally speirt for by the Scottish Pairlament an Scottish Government. Tae noo, the UK Government has statit its intention tae refuse tae let this tak place.
We shouldnae staun by in idleset while this steekit situation hauds. New circumstances mean that the EU maun gang a new gate.
We as Europeans are cawin on ye, afore ony future independence referendum taks place, tae merk oot a clear road for Scotland tae become an EU memmer.
We hae tae treat Scotland as a kintrae in a position like nae ither. As lang as Scotland is legally pairt o the United Kingdom the Scottish Government cannae negotiate wi the EU. But the EU can gie notice that, Scotland haein lang been pairt o the EU, gin it legally an democratically becomes independent yince mair, it widnae hae tae apply as a ‘new’ accession candidate. Insteid, the EU an its memmer states should mak a unilateral, open offer o membership tae Scotland: a byordinar proposal tae fit wi Scotland’s byordinar circumstance.
Brexit has awready gien us ae siclike byordinar circumstance. The European Cooncil unilaterally confirmed at its Summit o 29 April 2017 that Northern Ireland, gin its fowk were tae vote in future tae be pairt o the Republic o Ireland, wid at yin and the same time rejine the EU.
The EU should offer sic continuity tae Scotland anaw. This needs thinkin that is baith creative an practical. We dinnae yet ken the short or lang-term affcomes o Brexit on Scotland, nor them that micht come fae Scotland sinderin wi the UK. There micht be issues aroon a new Scottish currency, whether or no Scotland in time jines the Euro. In licht o this, the EU should be wullin tae support Scotland’s budget in thae kittle months o transition afore rejinin the EU.
These issues maitter, as they micht help tae mak ony referendum on Scottish independence a clear choice atween twa unions: the EU an the UK.
Europeans maun aye shaw solidarity wi, an pit theirsels forrit in defence o, democracy. We caw upon ye tae staun alangside the citizens o Scotland and tae support their richt tae decide their ain future.
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Freens and fieres oot-through Europe, please jine us an pit yir name tae oor letter. Let’s speir the leaders o the EU and its memmer states tae gie Scotland an open yett tae bein pairt o the EU yince mair!
*Europeans => ony body that bides an warks in a European kintrae, whether or no it belangs the EU; ony body born or fae a European kintrae, or that haes European citizenship, nae maitter whaur in the warld they noo bide.
Signer – Unterschreibe – Firma – Firmar – Podpisz – Sign –Teken – Υπέγραφή – Podepsat – Tecken – Assinar – Jel
Promoted by Anthony Barnett on behalf of Europe for Scotland, both at: c/o Beaver House, 23 – 38 Hythe Bridge Street, Oxford, United Kingdom, OX1 2EP. Read our privacy policy here.
