The admission of an independent Scotland to the EU will form part of a Holyrood inquiry launched today.
The Scottish Parliament’s European and external relations committee hopes to shine a light on issues raised by the white paper on Independence.
The Scottish Government believes an independent Scotland will be able to negotiate EU entry from within the union and be able to retain UK opt-out over the euro and freedom of movement.
But European Council president Herman Van Rompuy said recently that any territory of a member state becoming independent would no longer be part of the EU and would have re-apply.
The committee will look at the process by which an independent Scotland would become a member of the EU, and the terms which may apply.
It will also look at Scotland’s position in the EU, how it would be represented in EU institutions and the way in which small member states can influence decisions.
The committee’s convener, SNP MSP Christina McKelvie, said: “As a committee, we will bring our combined knowledge and understanding of the EU institutions and policy-making to scrutinise the Scottish Government’s proposals and ensure that a thorough and open debate is held on them.”
The deputy convener, Labour MSP Hanzala Malik, said: “As a Scottish Parliament committee, it is our job to ask questions, to probe both facts and opinion in relation to government policies. The evidence we will take during this inquiry will play a vital role in that process.
“We look forward to hearing from a range of experts in the coming months.”