Spain and France oppose Scotland EU talks after Brexit

The French president and Spanish prime minister have both said they are opposed to the EU negotiating potential membership for Scotland.

Spanish premier Mariano Rajoy said he "believes everyone is extremely against it" and that "if the UK leaves, Scotland leaves".

 

French President Francois Hollande of France insisted the EU would make no advance deal with Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon said Mariano Rajoy's comments were not surprising.

Nicola Sturgeon,the Scottish first minister has been in Brussels for a series of talks with senior EU officials, after pledging to protect Scotland's interests in Europe following last week's Brexit vote.
She said she had received a "sympathetic response" but stressed she did not underestimate the challenges.

Nicola Sturgeon met European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels, but was told by European Council president Donald Tusk that a meeting with him would not be appropriate at this time.

Nicola Sturgeon also met EU Parliament president Martin Schulz, as well as Gianni Pitella, the leader of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, and former Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt, who is now an MEP.

Nicola Sturgeon has raised the possibility of a second independence referendum but said all of the potential options for keeping Scotland in the single market would be explored.

Any separate deal for continued Scottish membership before the UK completes its two-year withdrawal process would depend on unanimous support from EU member states.

But acting Spanish prime minister Mr Rajoy said after a summit of EU leaders in Brussels that he wanted to be "very clear Scotland does not have the competence to negotiate with the European Union"

He added: "Spain opposes any negotiation by anyone other than the government of United Kingdom.
"I am extremely against it, the treaties are extremely against it and I believe everyone is extremely against it. If the United Kingdom leaves... Scotland leaves."

Spain was a vocal opponent of Scottish independence ahead of the 2014 referendum, largely because of the situation in Catalonia where there is a strong independence movement.

Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande said: "The negotiations will be conducted with the United Kingdom, not with a part of the United Kingdom".