European Movement in Scotland – Page 2 – The NEN

Walking for Europe: Europe Day 2022

Edinburgh4Europe will mark Europe Day by launching two new EuroWalks in Edinburgh, highlighting connections with our European neighbours.

What will you do on Europe Day this year? The European Movement in Scotland (EMiS) will mark the day by celebrating Scotland’s historic, and contemporary, links with our European neighbours. They have created a series of EuroWalks across Scotland to take in local landmarks with connections to European figures, places or historical events.

Edinburgh4Europe, the local EMiS group, is delighted to welcome Ben Macpherson (MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith) for the official opening of their Leith EuroWalk on Saturday, 7th May, at 11am outside the Custom House in Leith (65-67 Commercial Street).

The EuroWalk highlights a variety of Leith’s links to Europe, including Mary of Guise, Norwegian whalers and trades with the Baltic states.

On Monday, 9th May, a group of EMiS volunteers will lead a guided tour on a EuroWalk around Calton Hill.

The walk will start at 5.30pm from the Paolozzi Statues on Picardy Place:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/europe-day-eurowalk-edinburgh-tickets-331385702557.

The walking routes, with photos and information, can be found at this link: link: https://eurowalks.scot/, so these can be followed in person or investigated from your own home.

Looking to the future, the plan is to continue the growth of EuroWalks in collaboration with organisations such as Visit Scotland and to create a network of walks across Scotland, in cities, towns and the countryside, which collectively help us to celebrate our rich European heritage.

EMiS hopes these will achieve the twin aim of educating local residents (including the tens of thousands of European citizens who live in Scotland) and teaching visitors more about the connections between their own countries and Scotland.

EMiS wants this to be a truly collaborative, grassroots venture, drawing on ideas from people and communities across Scotland. Most of all, they hope to demonstrate the rich variety and scope of Scotland’s ties to the European continent. Because Europe is our past, Europe is our present and Europe is our future.

If you want to join in this enjoyable volunteer-led initiative, or have ideas or knowledge about a local European connection to include, please contact the EuroWalks team at walks4europe@gmail.com.

Edinburgh4Europe:

Edinburgh for Europe is a group that came together during the campaign in 2018 for a People’s Vote on the deal secured by the UK government to leave the EU. We are made up of people who are Scottish or EU citizens or both.

We are affiliated to the European Movement in Scotland, a movement which started after World War II and before the economic union began. We work to maintain good relations with citizens of European countries and to mitigate the effects of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union.

European Movement in Scotland backs EU membership for Ukraine

The European Movement in Scotland (EMiS) condemns Russia’s indiscriminate war against Ukraine and stands in solidarity with Ukrainian’s in their struggle to defend peace, democracy and freedom – the values that underpin Europe’s history and culture.

We therefore support the application of President Zelensky and his government for Ukraine to become a member of the European Union according to the Copenhagen criteria and welcome the backing given by some EU member states for Ukraine to be granted immediate applicant status.

The EU has throughout this conflict, unprecedented on European territory for almost 80 years, taken the lead in providing humanitarian, economic and military aid to Ukraine and imposing effective sanctions against the Putin regime and its financial backers.

EMiS especially welcomes the EU’s decision to activate the temporary protection directive allowing millions of Ukrainian refugees to enter its member states’ territory visa-free and to live and work within its borders for up to three years.

This stands in stark contrast to the chaotic and deplorable approach of the UK Government towards imposing bureaucratic hurdles on tens of thousands of desperate families fleeing a savage war.

EMiS also welcomes the clear evidence that working together in solidarity with a fellow European nation has enabled the EU-27 to play a key role in the search for an equitable peace in the region, based on the principles of territorial integrity and national sovereignty enshrined in international law.

We believe this further exposes the lies and myths that lay behind Brexit and underpin the grand illusion of Global Britain. It strengthens the case for the UK and Scotland to pursue closer relations with our EU neighbours and partners up to and including early moves to rejoin the European Union.

European Movement in Scotland: UK Government must drop its restrictive migration policy

Scotland’s premier pro-European campaign is urging the UK government to follow the lead of the EU and allow Ukrainian refugees from Russia’s horrendous war to settle here for up to three years without being forced to apply for asylum.

With more than one million Ukrainians forced to flee their country, the EU has said it will offer “temporary protection” for 36 months – a decision hailed by UNHCR as “unprecedented”.

The European Movement in Scotland (EMiS) says today the UK Government must drop its restrictive migration policy and allow thousands of vulnerable Ukrainians fleeing the most savage war in Europe for over 75 years to live and work here.

EMiS also calls upon the five main political parties represented in Holyrood to endorse this stance and put pressure on the UK Government to join forces with the EU-27 in welcoming Ukrainian refugees on the scale required.

Mark Lazarowicz, EMiS vice-chair, said: “This is no time for a self-styled world leading country to impose cruel barriers to Ukrainian refugees seeking protection in our own country as in other European nations. We urge Home Secretary Priti Patel to change course and show generous compassion.”

Cross-Party support: Russell and Purvis join pro-EU organisation as honorary presidents

Scotland’s leading pro-European campaigning body, the European Movement in Scotland (EMiS), has underlined its cross-party credentials by choosing a former SNP cabinet secretary and a former Conservative MEP as its new honorary presidents.

Mike Russell, MSP until May this year and former Scottish Government cabinet secretary for Constitution, Europe and External Affairs, and John Purvis, a Tory MEP for 15 years, jointly take over the post bequeathed to them by (Lord) Ming Campbell, the LibDem peer.

They were unanimously confirmed in their new posts at the EMiS annual general meeting in Edinburgh which reaffirmed its commitment to Scotland rejoining the European Union as soon as possible – whether in its own right as an independent state or as part of the UK. As a non-party/cross-party body EMiS is neutral on Scottish independence.

Separately, EMiS is to launch a campaign for Scotland and/or the UK to rejoin the single market and customs union as the devastating economic and social effects of Brexit are revealed daily.

The launch will coincide with the latest EMiS webinar debate on the same topic on December 8 (see here for details: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/webinar-should-we-re-join-the-single-market-andor-customs-union-tickets-211307254687).

Speakers include:

Philippa Whitford MP, SNP Commons spokesman on Europe (and health);
David Broucher, a former UK diplomat/ambassador in, among other places, Bonn and Prague;
Peter Sellar, an EU lawyer specialising in regulatory affairs and author of a paper on this topic for the Scottish Independence Convention.

David Clarke, Vice-Chair of EMiS commented: “Our choice of new Honorary Presidents underlines the cross-party consensus in Scotland for rejoining the European Union, with membership of the single market and customs union a first stage.

“John Purvis is a long-standing Conservative with deep roots in the EU and European financial services, while Mike Russell’s commitment to Europe as an SNP politician, minister and thinker is unmatched. Our campaign to rejoin the EU steps up a gear with our latest webinar on 8th December and throughout 2022.”

Pro-EU organisation calls for EU freedom of movement for those living in Scotland

The UK Government should amend its immigration policy to reflect Scotland’s demographic deficit and restore freedom of movement to Scottish residents, according to Scotland’s leading pro-European body.

It is also pressing the UK Government to rejoin the Erasmus+ youth exchange programme – or enable Scotland and Wales to take part on their own.

These are among 15 key policies the European Movement in Scotland (EMIS) is urging political parties and candidates to adopt as policy in the #Holyrood2021 campaign

EMIS objective is for Scotland to become part of the European Union as once again, whether as an independent state or as part of the UK, but it also believes that it is important that Scotland should have the closest possible links with the EU meantime.

Among other policy issues highlighted by EMiS are better access to EU markets for Scotland’s food and fish, more direct links between Scotland and mainland Europe, a full say in managing the UK Prosperity Fund and close alignment with the EU on environmental standards, emission targets, human rights law and data privacy.

EMiS chair, Mark Lazarowicz, said: “The UK has left the EU, but our relationship with Europe clearly matters greatly to the voters of Scotland. This relationship will have longstanding impacts on the country’s economy and culture.

“We urge prospective members of the Scottish Parliament and their political parties to work to reinforce Scotland’s European interests and prioritise the issues we identify as important for the future prosperity and wellbeing of Scotland and its people.”

Pro-EU organisation urges Scottish Government to set up its own Erasmus programme

Scotland’s leading pro-EU organisation, the European Movement in Scotland, has urged the Scottish Government to follow the Wales Government and establish its own version of the Erasmus education exchange programme.

With Brexit, the UK government has withdrawn from the EU’s Erasmus scheme, which offered student exchanges as well as school links and work experience.

Its replacement, the Turing Scheme, includes a fraction of the benefits provided to students under Erasmus+.

Free tuition and travel expenses have been scrapped, except for the most disadvantaged students and the cost-of-living allowance has been slashed by a fifth. In addition the Turing Scheme does not extend to apprentices and trainees.

The Turing scheme does not extend to staff exchanges. Funding will also not be reciprocal, meaning that international partner institutions will not be supported for any exchanges coming to the UK.

Around 2000 Scottish students and staff used Erasmus+ each year and now many will be denied the chance to study and travel in 27 other EU countries as the new scheme puts financial barriers in front of them.

In contrast, the Welsh Government said its scheme would “support, as far as possible, the entire range of activities that have been available to learners in Wales” under Erasmus+.

The new programme will fill in many of the gaps Turing leaves, including, crucially, the commitment to long-term funding, the retention of the principle of two-way exchanges and the inclusion of youth work.

Scotland attracts proportionally more Erasmus participants from across Europe – and sends more in the other direction – than any other country in the UK. Through associated youth work projects, the scheme is estimated to deliver at least £7 in value for every £1 it costs in public cash, and its value to the economy has been estimated to be worth nearly £34 million annually since 2014.

The Scottish Government had lobbied the EU for continued membership but its hopes were quashed last month by Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, who told MEPs that, as a “constituent nation” of the UK, Scotland could not rejoin. Students studying at institutions in Northern Ireland can take part in Erasmus thanks to an arrangement with the Irish government.

Mark Lazarowicz, Chair of the European Movement in Scotland commented: “The loss of Erasmus is an act of cultural vandalism and we would urge the Scottish Government to follow Wales and fill the immense gaps presented by the Turing scheme.

“Erasmus brings different countries and nationalities together and generates such massive cultural and educational benefits, its loss is a huge blow. It allowed many thousands of young people, no matter their background, to continue to improve their futures, their access to global opportunities, and their development as citizens of a connected world.

“Over 2000 Scottish students, staff and learners used the scheme each year. Indeed, Scotland attracts proportionally more Erasmus participants from across Europe – and sends more in the other direction – than any other country in the UK.

“A unilateral replacement, such as the proposed Turing scheme, will never be able to replicate the wealth of opportunities for all young people, or raise the same reciprocal benefits of the Erasmus Programme.”

ERASMUS +: How can Scotland rejoin the largest education programme in the world?

Erasmus-Plus webinar: 4pm, Monday 8^th February

The UK Government has withdrawn from a proven scheme that has involved over 10m young people – students, apprentices and more – in exchanges across Europe in favour of an untested one-way scheme. But the Scottish and Welsh Governments are talking to Brussels about rejoining Erasmus.

How good are the prospects? Join us at 4:00 pm on Monday 8 February when we will examine why Erasmus-Plus has been such a success, why the mooted replacement Turing scheme is no alternative and how Scottish and Welsh young people should continue to enjoy the huge opportunities the EU scheme offers.

Chaired by Mark Lazarowicz, Chair of the European Movement in Scotland, we draw on the expertise of three/four authorities, including the founding spirit behind Erasmus, to explore the challenges and options ahead.

From Glasgow, Prof Anton Muscatelli, principal of Glasgow University and senior advisor to the Scottish Government, will give us his in-depth knowledge of an extensive range of economic and European issues. The university has been Britain’s biggest HE participant in the scheme.

From Cardiff, Hywel Ceri Jones, former European Commission director for education, who led the design and implementation of Erasmus and became director general for employment, social policy and industrial relations, will give a Welsh and European perspective.

From Glasgow, Rachel Sandison, vice principal, external relations, Glasgow University, will offer insights into we can best negotiate Scotland’s and Wales’s re-entry to the scheme.

From Glasgow Mary Senior is Scotland’s official of the Universities and Colleges Union since 2009 and has been STUC (Scottish Trades Union Congress ) President since November 2020. Originally from the West Midlands, Mary has two decades of working within the trade union movement in Scotland.

This event is organised in association with the Young European Movement.

At the end of the webinar, the President, Julius Lajtha, will speak about their campaign on Erasmus.

EMiS launches campaign for Scotland to rejoin the EU

The European Movement in Scotland (EMiS), the country’s leading pro-EU body, is today urging Scots to defy Brexit and fight to rejoin the European Union.

EMiS is launching its own campaign for Scotland to rejoin the European Union as swiftly as possible – whatever its constitutional status.

Tier 4 restrictions have forced the cancellation of planned street protests against Brexit up and down the country, including at the Scottish Parliament and UK Government hub in the capital.

Instead, EMiS members and supporters will be protesting wherever and however possible against a bad deal on future EU-UK relations that poses a serious threat to Scotland’s future and that of its younger generations.

Mark Lazarowicz, EMiS convenor, says: ” With all the crises the world faces, the argument for the European Union is stronger than ever – and opinion polls show that support for EU membership is higher than it was at the time of the 2016 referendum, both in Scotland and across the whole of the UK.

“Whether Scotland becomes part of the EU again as an independent nation state, or through the UK as a whole, we know it will not happen overnight. But being a realist doesn’t mean we stop campaigning for our country to be part of that wider European project again.”

Today marks the end of UK membership of the EU Single Market and Customs Union. From 1 January 2021, more than 5m Scots will lose the right to live, travel and work freely in 31 other European countries.

As we prepare for this sad day, we in the European Movement in Scotland are united in this pledge:

“We declare that Scotland is a European country, embracing our common values of peace, democracy, human rights, equality, sustainability and solidarity.

The clear wish of the great majority of the Scottish people is that Scotland should be within the European Union.

We commit to working to bring this about, whatever Scotland’s constitutional status”.

The pledge can be signed at: http://chng.it/DpBZpy8J

We are calling on as many as possible to share pictures of themselves displaying the EU stars – a symbol of European unity – in some form, accompanied by the hashtag #WeWillBeBack.

We urge all those who feel the same to join us at the European Movement in Scotland (euromovescotland.org.uk @euromovescot), so that our fellow Europeans can hear us loud and clear!

Brexit drama misses the point

There has been much posturing, many false dawns and plenty manufactured fury over the last many months concerning the negotiation of a deal (or not) to govern the UK’s trade with the world’s biggest and most integrated market which just happens to be on our doorstep, the EU.

But whether it’s a Deal or No Deal, future trading with what is easily our biggest trading partner will become much more difficult following the end of Transition on 31 January. Even the Bank of England, not known for expressing extreme opinions, has said that the hit to the UK economy over the medium term will be worse than that caused by the Covid pandemic.

The damage has already been done. For some, that is a price worth paying but not for the majority of Scots, and not, if the polls are to be believed, for the majority across the UK either now.

But regardless, the damage is done. That is the real point. The UK is out of the EU. Relationships have been damaged in the process, and not just trading relationships. The locks on the doors are about to be changed. The weather is growing colder while the UK is outside and is no longer trusted by those who might once have given shelter.

So where do we go from here? How do we rebuild? Well a reasonable place to start might be to better understand what others think about us after all the recent sound and fury. Plenty of uninformed opinion is thrown about every night on TV by “spokesmen” who see mainly an opportunity to further their particular agendas.

Is it time to hear from some non-politicians? Real people who live in European cities and who know what is going on in their respective countries?

The European Movement in Scotland certainly thinks so and is organising a webinar on 14^th December with experts from Rome, Berlin, Brussels and Edinburgh to explore how Europeans now think about the UK and Scotland.

You can find out more at www.euromovescotland.org.uk

Tonight: Scotland Talking Europe – Latvia and Estonia

How much do you know about Estonia and Latvia and their economic, cultural and social links with Scotland?

This evening Edinburgh4Europe, supported by the European Movement in Scotland, is hosting a live webinar that aims to take a deep dive into these two Baltic countries that both joined the European Union in 2004.

Scotland now needs to use soft power to maintain our links with EU member countries. But to do this effectively it is essential to audit our relations with each of the 27 members. With that in mind this evening’s webinar focuses on Latvia and Estonia.

The two speakers this are Christopher Kenmore Consul for Latvia in Scotland and Peter Ferry, the Consul for Estonia in Scotland.

The event will be chaired by Mark Lazarowicz, Chair of the European Movement in Scotland.

Despite their size and recent membership Latvia and Estonia already hold considerable influence in the EU. Yesterday it was announced that the past Prime Minister of Latvia, Valdis Dombrovskis, will take on the key Trade portfolio, and another Another strategically important portfolio – Energy – is held by Estonia’s Kadri Simson.

Whilst research by Kirsty Hughes from the Scottish Centre for European
Relations has found that irrespective of the constitutional context “it will be hard for Scotland to influence future EU developments from the outside. But bringing expertise, building long-standing bilateral relationships, participating in debates and stepping in early and constructively …. will all pay dividends”.

So, increase your knowledge of Latvia and Estonia and join in the conversation this evening from 7pm by registering your email using this link:

https://lu.ma/EMiS-Scotland-EU-Relationship

and engaging on social media using the hashtags #ScotlandTalkingEurope #Latvia #Estonia.