Scotland was an integral part of the EU for almost 50 years, a status we have now lost due to Brexit. We were represented at every stage of the EU’s activities.
The recreation, in 1999, of the Scottish Parliament and the formation of a Scottish Government gave Scotland a far stronger voice within the EU, and allowed the people of Scotland to find Scottish solutions for Scottish problems and design a society that reflects our needs.
These powers allowed Scotland to demonstrate how very European we really are. We stand alongside the rest of Northern Europe by not privatising healthcare, encouraging the development of renewable energy and not charging our citizens for higher education.
[1] ‘EU Nationals Living in Scotland’, SPICE, November 2016.