News and opinion

David Bell, University of Stirling, for the Scottish Centre on European Relations latest report 'An Independent Scotland in EU: Issues for Accession' discusses what the implications would be for Scotland in creating an EU-rUK border should they rejoin the EU after independence, arguing that this is a completely different debate to 2014, and explaining the close analogies with Brexit and the border with Ireland.

From the Scottish Centre on European Relations report 'An Independent Scotland in the EU: Issues for Accession', Director Kirsty Hughes, provides an overview of EU enlargement over the years, the development of the accession process, and asks, what would the process look like for an independent Scotland?

Jonathan Evershed, University College Cork, discusses the COVID-19 pandemic and looming Brexit negotiations, arguing that the response to the virus continues to show the gap between Ireland and UK that has been evident throughout the Brexit process.

The coronavirus crisis makes it difficult to progress other areas of policy, but the clock ticks on Brexit negotiations. Richard Parry reviews the UK and EU positions and the way that the new dominant issue may displace the previous one.

As the Welsh government faces a dilemma over Brexit, Daniel Wincott and Jac Larner, Cardiff University, look back at the historical context to make sense of the Welsh Brexit position.

Jac Larner and Dan Wincott, Cardiff University, examine the outcome of the 2019 General Election its impact on representation and constitutional politics in Wales.

The Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) is intended to replace the EU structural funds, worth around £2.1 billion per year. David Bell, University of Stirling, discusses whether the UK Government will see this as a mechanism for highlighting their role in supporting regional policy across the UK, or will it lead to further disagreements between the devolved institutions.

Fishing and Brexit go hand in hand. The UK fishing industry is dominated by Scottish production, and the Scottish Government will argue for a prominent role when negotiations around EU market access take place, states David Bell. But, how will this impact intergovernmental relations between the Scottish and UK Governments?

What are the options for Scotland's relationship with Europe? Kirsty Hughes discusses how Brexit has radically changed the implications for an independent Scotland in the EU.