A seat at Europe’s top table cannot come soon enough for Scotland’s farming and fishing industries - but that will happen only with a Yes vote on Thursday, Rural Affairs Minister Richard Lochhead said tonight.
 
Speaking at a public meeting in Forres, Moray, he said independence would transform the role of Scottish Ministers from ‘lobbyists to negotiators’ in EU decision-making.

Mr Lochhead said: “I attend EU negotiations as part of the UK delegation. Even though farming and fisheries are devolved to the Scottish Parliament the reality is that many of the big decisions that affect these sectors are taken at EU level and European representation is the responsibility of the UK Government not the devolved administrations. 

“Under the current arrangements, Scottish Ministers are therefore reduced to the role of lobbyist rather than negotiator in EU decision making.”

He said that in his role as Scottish Minister he spent a great deal of time lobbying UK Ministers to listen to Scottish concerns and take on board Scottish priorities.
 
He added: “Similarly, I lobby the European Commission and building relationships with other Member States with common interests to help promote Scotland's objectives. 

“But to really matter in Europe and to ensure your voice is heard, it is essential to have the authority of being a Member State. That's what really counts. 

“Only Member States open doors, gain direct and guaranteed access to the corridors of power in Brussels and have their voices heard. And of course only Member States have direct representation in Europe's key institutions such as the Council of Ministers, European Parliament and Court of Justice.”

Mr Lochhead said  that since Scottish devolution in 1999, there had never been any serious attempt by any UK Government to address anomalies that arose from Scotland having primary legislative responsibility for policies where Europe has a big say but where European representation and policy is reserved to the UK Government. 

He said: “No UK Government has even bothered to properly take into account devolution. Other counties do things differently. Take what happens at the Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers.

“I'm told that there is not enough space for me to sit alongside the UK Minister and that having more than one Minister from the same country at the top table would send out confusing messages. Yet the Belgium delegation all sit at the top table together.  The federal minister often leads but the Flemish and Walloon Ministers sit alongside them. 

“I have to sit in the margins alongside junior officials. Belgium also allow the Flemish to lead on fisheries.  I'm not even permitted to speak in the Council of Ministers on any subject never mind lead. Not even on fisheries although Scotland accounts for over two thirds of the UK industry and 20% of the EU catch is taken from Scottish waters.”

He said every request he’d made to speak on fishing agenda items had been refused by UK Governments. On only one occasion had he spoken and that was after the First Minister had lodged a complaint with the Prime Minister. 

I am not even permitted to represent the UK on fisheries issues at other international meetings even when the UK Ministers can't attend. An informal Council of Ministers meeting was held in Vigo in Spain in 2010 to discuss fisheries. The UK Minister could not make it due to the General Election so I offered to go in his place.  The UK refused my request and sent an unelected Lord with Ministerial responsibility for bee health instead - to a fisheries meeting!



Mr Lochhead said the situation for farming was even worse.
He said: “For agricultural negotiations, I am generally not permitted to attend any of these meetings because there is rarely a meeting of minds on farming policy between Scotland and the UK.  During the recent reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, during one meeting in Brussels, the UK Minister described Scotland's key priorities to me as "itty bitty technical issues" that could be negotiated in the margins. In the actual Council of Ministers meetings, much to my frustration, he raised the concerns of a sugar factory in London more than Scotland's beef and sheep sectors or other Scottish priorities. The UK continually refused to negotiate a fairer share of the EU's farm and rural budgets for Scotland leaving us bottom of the league on both counts and billions of pounds out of pocket.”

He said he frequently heard from the No campaign that Scotland gained by being part of a bigger state with 29 votes and that smaller states were severely disadvantaged.
 
But he added:  “I have attended scores of EU meetings and negotiations over the years and watching how other countries similar in size to Scotland operate this is certainly not my view. 

“The UK's 29 votes would only be useful to Scotland if they were ever actually used in Scotland's interests. 

“I cannot recall one occasion in my seven years where the UK has used its votes for Scotland. 

“In fact Scotland only benefits from UK votes when our interests co-incide with the rest of the UK. In other words, the UK never uses it influence for Scotland when Scotland's priorities are not shared by the rest of the UK. 

“That is why independence in Europe will deliver not only benefits for Scotland but potentially for the rest of the UK as well. An independent Scotland will be a useful ally when our interests coincide and we would both benefit from our combined voting strength. Surely better to have two Member States pursuing the same outcome than one? 

“However, where our priorities differ as they often do in relation to farming and fishing, Scotland as a member state in our own right will pursue our own priorities rather than have no voice and no influence as is currently the case.

“It's also very much the case that size isn't everything in the EU and smaller countries wield disproportionate influence.  Indeed, EU negotiations result in compromise and are inclusive with every effort made to respect the national interests of all states irrespective of size.

“In terms of fisheries, farming, energy and a few other areas, Scotland will be able to focus on our key priorities.  No state, big or small, achieves all of its objectives but every state has its key priorities respected. When it comes to our national interests, an independent Scotland will no longer be silent on the margins but will be a powerful and respected voice at the heart of the decision making.

“Status is everything in Europe. 

“Often when I take concerns to the European Commission, I'm told that my case is strong but I need to lobby the UK as the member state to devote negotiation capital to the issue and signal to the European authorities that it is a priority. 

“When newly appointed Commissioners tour national capitals, they don't visit Edinburgh, they go to London. 

“I am not saying that Scotland is ignored or that our view doesn't count under the current arrangements. However, devolution severely curtails our influence to the detriment of many of our key industries. 

“At a recent Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels, several EU Ministers approached me and whispered in my ear that they wished the Yes campaign the best of luck. 

“So my experience tells me that Scotland will be warmly welcomed to Europe's top table.  

“With a Yes vote Scotland will become the 29th member of the European Union. We will be welcomed with open arms, valued and respected."