Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP are looking to take an independent Scotland into the EU, but they may have to make a key concession in order to achieve their goal. The Scottish First Minister has previously said Scotland would not adopt the euro while joining the bloc. Asked last year if Scotland would change to the euro, Ms Sturgeon said: “No, I don’t think it would.” She added: “No we wouldn’t and there are examples in the European Union today that prove that’s not the case. Sweden, for example, joined the EU after the so-called requirements to join the euro were in place.”
But Belgian MEP, Philippe Lamberts, tells Express.co.uk that the SNP will change its tune once in talks with Brussels.
The Co-President of the Greens in the European Parliament said: “Any new member state has to adopt the euro, I know that the SNP are revisiting their scenario depending on the outcome of a referendum.
“So I don’t think past positions of Nicola Sturgeon or the SNP are reflective of the positions they will take if they apply to join the EU after a referendum.”
Mr Lamberts did say, however, that the EU will welcome Scotland into the EU.
Figures in Brussels have previously been more hostile to the prospect.
Former President of the European Commission – Jose Manuel Barroso – claimed in 2014 that it could be “impossible” for Scotland to join the EU.
However, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen admitted she is a “fan” of Ms Sturgeon in 2019, and now Mr Lamberts backs Scotland’s efforts.
On whether an independent Scotland could join the EU, Mr Lamberts said: “Yes, the answer is a definite yes.”
He added: “There would be no obstacle for Scotland joining if the UK is no longer in the EU.
“And this time independence would be different, because in 2014 Scotland would have left the UK and the EU at once.
“Now Scotland is leaving a smaller union to join a bigger union.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon tipped as ‘future European Commission President’
“Brexiteers are not defenders of the union, they are English nationalists, they dropped Northern Ireland like a brick and Boris Johnson doesn’t care for Wales or Scotland either.”
Public law expert Professor Aileen McHarg told Express.co.uk in July that there are no legal barriers stopping Scotland from joining the EU.
She said: “Any barriers for Scotland in joining the EU are political rather than legal, because any candidate to join the EU has to abide by the terms set.
“It would be fairly easy to meet those terms because Scottish law is currently fully compliant with EU law.
“As time goes on there are likely to become greater divergences, but that would simply mean at the time Scotland wanted to join the EU we’d have to change stuff then.”
