tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30201594134360669552024-03-19T06:07:31.632-07:00Independent ScotlandLearning about an Independent ScotlandDavid Thorntonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14420032534863331683noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020159413436066955.post-29900014658979155992017-04-22T13:25:00.001-07:002017-06-21T08:36:40.626-07:00Benefits of joining the EEA<h3>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Overview</span></h3>
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">European Economic Area (EEA)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #353535; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 0px 0px 1em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.efta.int/legal-texts" style="border: 0px; color: #0065b4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;">EEA Agreement</a> also states that when a country becomes a member of the European Union, it shall also apply to become party to the EEA Agreement (Article 128), thus leading to an enlargement of the EEA.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"></span><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #353535; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 0px 0px 1em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The EEA Agreement provides for the inclusion of EU legislation covering the four freedoms — the free movement of goods, services, persons and capital — throughout the 31 EEA States. In addition, the Agreement covers cooperation in other important areas such as research and development, education, social policy, the environment, consumer protection, tourism and culture, collectively known as “flanking and horizontal” policies. The Agreement guarantees equal rights and obligations within the Internal Market for citizens and economic operators in the EEA.</span></div>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What is the EEA Not?
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #353535; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 0px 0px 1em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The EEA Agreement does not cover the following EU policies:</span></div>
<br />
<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #353535; list-style-image: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Common Agriculture and Fisheries Policies (although the Agreement contains provisions on various aspects of trade in agricultural and fish products);</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #353535; list-style-image: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Customs Union;</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #353535; list-style-image: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Common Trade Policy;</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #353535; list-style-image: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Common Foreign and Security Policy;</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #353535; list-style-image: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Justice and Home Affairs (even though the EFTA countries are part of the Schengen area); or</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #353535; list-style-image: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Monetary Union (EMU).</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #353535; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehtBa32ZzB_XNbCyI1hrpq3dLai99eS0LbEMgdjPNwcZI4JYSdI9MojMPQvLvzsXigfxtz8pGjtSz_UCAfw7l-pQrJYiUqtIQOcbU26Ma7Rp9f9aVjlB7qlu7NNVThHNesPQByf5_pwk/s1600/peers_steve_300x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehtBa32ZzB_XNbCyI1hrpq3dLai99eS0LbEMgdjPNwcZI4JYSdI9MojMPQvLvzsXigfxtz8pGjtSz_UCAfw7l-pQrJYiUqtIQOcbU26Ma7Rp9f9aVjlB7qlu7NNVThHNesPQByf5_pwk/s200/peers_steve_300x200.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Steve Peers, Professor of EU constitutional law and commissioned expert for the European parliament and commission, Scotland would benefit from not joining the fiscal constraints of EU single currency while still participating in the single market.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He also stated that in the case of a so-called “hard Brexit” with the UK shut out of most trading blocks and options Scotland could use the EEA as a “waiting house” for future membership before or after independence.</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Steve Peers said: The most obvious route for Scotland to consider would be membership of the EEA, along with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h1 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1em; margin: 4px 0px 0px; padding: 4px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">EEA Institutions</span></span></h1>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #353535; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 0px 0px 1em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The decision-making process in the EEA Agreement is characterised by its two-pillar structure. Substantive decisions relating to the EEA Agreement and its operation are a joint venture with the EU and in the hands of common bodies.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #353535; line-height: 1.4em; padding: 0px 0px 1em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The EEA EFTA States have not transferred any legislative competencies to the EEA institutions and they are unable, constitutionally, to accept direct decisions by the Commission or the European Court of Justice. To cater for this situation, the EEA Agreement established EEA EFTA bodies to match those on the EU side. The EEA EFTA States take all decisions by concensus as opposed to the EU side where decisions related to EEA legislation are normally taken by majority vote.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #353535;">The two-pillar EEA structure:</span> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWeuxC66LAMPyMLgKIJr6IDheSWhVJgcGMG2UzTQx37wwcJXxdGyT8CiIvD2ajcGXajLp6aSR9NsLKsCJSiuwzaWmPHS5hh9oKujKSI2PcH3pxvQ3t8JukFO2kIqal2rrloRSdbwnruQ/s1600/Twopillar+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWeuxC66LAMPyMLgKIJr6IDheSWhVJgcGMG2UzTQx37wwcJXxdGyT8CiIvD2ajcGXajLp6aSR9NsLKsCJSiuwzaWmPHS5hh9oKujKSI2PcH3pxvQ3t8JukFO2kIqal2rrloRSdbwnruQ/s640/Twopillar+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
After the EU referendum last June, the Scottish Government highlighted its commitment to continuing full membership of the EU, pointing to the outcome of the vote in Scotland which saw 62 per cent of the vote secured for remaining.</div>
<div id="ext-gen160" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span id="ext-gen159" style="box-sizing: border-box;">The EEA, sometimes referred to as the single market, includes all the countries that are part of Europe's free trade area, with the exception of Switzerland. </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">All members of the EU automatically become members of the European Economic Area, giving them access to the single market.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">However, three </span>European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA)<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> members, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, are part of the EEA too. Switzerland, the one EFTA member not in the EEA, has made separate bilateral trade agreements with the EU to allow it to participate in the single market in some areas.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">YES rally in Dundee</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Today (22nd April) in Dundee city square the YES movement held a rally and amongst the speakers were Paul Kavanagh (@weegingerdug) and Lesley Riddock (@LesleyRiddoch) who gave great speeches but during Lesley's speech she highlighted the fact that we didn't need Westminster to say if we could or couldn't hold a referendum, if fact we could by a simple vote in the Scottish parliament to declare Independence.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Lesley went on to say that joining the EEA would be the best option for Scotland, and this very much on the same lines as Lesley from Ron Wilson (@TartanSeer)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsk-qEKOLexCgYuwLP570lxIHBXmok-WdaXZVtD0IPifx2dE-JnqKh247hSiLdapk6zg8UPsGpJPsMDeK8pupAm8zDDtpeGv1jRTOz5raTFpwl_AuOgorRphxnBkOa39vYAEkO2eSSlCE/s1600/Scots_Independence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsk-qEKOLexCgYuwLP570lxIHBXmok-WdaXZVtD0IPifx2dE-JnqKh247hSiLdapk6zg8UPsGpJPsMDeK8pupAm8zDDtpeGv1jRTOz5raTFpwl_AuOgorRphxnBkOa39vYAEkO2eSSlCE/s640/Scots_Independence.jpg" width="458" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">So, the question is would the EEA and declaring Independence in the Scottish Parliament </span>be in our best interests?</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
Personally I believe it would. An easy transition into the EEA certainly looks tasty </div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #353535; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Geneva, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</ul>
David Thorntonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14420032534863331683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020159413436066955.post-41755663652660428512017-04-20T15:17:00.000-07:002017-04-20T15:17:46.004-07:00Benefits of joining the EFTA<h2>
<span style="color: purple;">
Overview</span></h2>
<span style="background-color: white; color: purple; font-family: inherit;">European Free Trade Association (“EFTA”)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "museo_sans300" , "arial" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
EFTA is an association which was established in 1960 to promote economic cooperation, integration and free trade for the benefit of its States which, at that time, included the UK. It was an alternative association for European countries that were either unable or unwilling to join the then European Economic Community (“EEC”). In 1973, the UK left EFTA to join the EEC which later became the European Community and is now known as the European Union (“EU”). Today, EFTA consists of 4 members: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
EFTA and its members are governed by the EFTA convention which provides the legal basis for the organisation. It does not, however, create any significant level of supranational government.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">What are the benefits of EFTA?</span></b></h3>
Free movement of goods
The EFTA Convention allows for free movement of goods between EFTA States. In particular, customs duties on imports and exports between EFTA States are prohibited. Similarly EFTA States cannot impose internal taxes on imported products from other EFTA States in excess of taxes imposed on similar domestic products. EFTA States also cannot impose taxation which affords indirect protection to other products. Finally, quantitative restrictions on imports and exports to and from EFTA States are forbidden.<br />
<br />
There are some carve outs from the rules. For example, the free movement of goods does not apply to certain agricultural products. There are also specific rules regarding seeds and organic agriculture. EFTA States can impose some restrictions on free movement of goods on certain grounds including public morality, public policy, and public security amongst others, so long as the measures do not constitute arbitrary discrimination or a disguised restriction on trade between EFTA States.<br />
<br />
The EFTA States are also signatories to the Regional Convention on Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Preferential Rules of Origin which extends across the EU, EFTA, and various states in the Balkans, North Africa and the Middle East. Rules of origin determine the country of origin of a product for the purposes of international trade and free trade agreements in particular.<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Free movement of goods</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(202, 202, 201); padding-bottom: 2px;">
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Free movement of goods
The EFTA Convention allows for free movement of goods between EFTA States. In particular, customs duties on imports and exports between EFTA States are prohibited. Similarly EFTA States cannot impose internal taxes on imported products from other EFTA States in excess of taxes imposed on similar domestic products. EFTA States also cannot impose taxation which affords indirect protection to other products. Finally, quantitative restrictions on imports and exports to and from EFTA States are forbidden.
There are some carve outs from the rules.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span>
For example, the free movement of goods does not apply to certain agricultural products. There are also specific rules regarding seeds and organic agriculture. EFTA States can impose some restrictions on free movement of goods on certain grounds including public morality, public policy, and public security amongst others, so long as the measures do not constitute arbitrary discrimination or a disguised restriction on trade between EFTA States.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent;">The EFTA States are also signatories to the Regional Convention on Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Preferential Rules of Origin which extends across the EU, EFTA, and various states in the Balkans, North Africa and the Middle East. Rules of origin determine the country of origin of a product for the purposes of international trade and free trade agreements in particular.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><b>Freedom of establishment</b></span><br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The EFTA Convention provides for the freedom of establishment between EFTA States. This means that companies established in accordance with the laws of one EFTA State and having their registered office, central administration or principal place of business in one of the EFTA States can establish themselves in any of the other EFTA States. Different EFTA States impose their own carve outs to these rules, which are incorporated into the EFTA Convention.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Free movement of people and services </b></span><br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The EFTA<span style="background-color: transparent;"> Convention allows for the free movement of people between </span>EFTA<span style="background-color: transparent;"> States. Nationals of one </span>EFTA<span style="background-color: transparent;"> State can enter another </span>EFTA<span style="background-color: transparent;"> State to work, provide services or reside in that country. However, the </span>EFTA<span style="background-color: transparent;"> free movement rules are not as extensive as those of the EU. For example, the provision of services in another </span>EFTA<span style="background-color: transparent;"> State is only allowed for up to 90 days without a residence permit</span><span style="background-color: transparent;">.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent;">Access to Free Trade Agreements
Unlike the EU, EFTA is not a customs union and does not have its own tariff setting mechanism. It does, however, have a coordinated trading policy and concludes free trade agreements on behalf of its members. To date, EFTA has concluded free trade agreements with over 35 jurisdictions which you can access on the link in Conclusions below.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The free trade agreements normally grant duty-free access for all industrial products (including fishery products) and agricultural products. Furthermore, they include trade remedies as well as provisions on competition, the protection of intellectual property, and on payments and transfers. In addition, many of the free trade agreements contain substantive rules liberalising trade in services, investment and public procurement, as well as provisions on trade facilitation and sustainable development.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "museo_sans300" , "arial" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If Scotland were to join EFTA, it would not automatically become a party to the free trade agreements that EFTA has already concluded. However, those agreements do provide for additional members acceding to those agreements subject to the approval of all parties to those specific agreements. For example, Article 39 of the free trade agreement between EFTA and Canada states that: “The Parties may invite any State to become a Party to this Agreement. The terms and conditions of the participation by the additional Party shall be the subject of an agreement between the Parties and the invited State.”</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In addition to the EFTA free trade agreements, EFTA States are able to negotiate their own free trade agreements with other third countries.</span></div>
<span style="color: purple; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;"><b>World Trade Organisation </b></span><br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
Unlike the EU, EFTA is not a member of the World Trade Organisation (“WTO”). However, all EFTA States are WTO members. The UK would, therefore, have its own seat at the table at WTO discussions.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<br /></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><b>What would the Scotland have to contribute to EFTA? </b></span><br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "museo_sans300" , "arial" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">All EFTA States make a financial contribution to the EFTA budget. By way of example, in 2015 Switzerland contributed approximately €8 million and Norway contributed approximately €11 million, which is considerably less than the UK’s current contribution to the EU budget. Which is estimated, at worst, the UK’s EFTA contribution would be around 1% of its contribution to the EU budget.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>How would the Scotland join EFTA? </b></span><br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;">If an independent Scotland decided to join EFTA, it would have to apply for accession to the EFTA Council which is composed of the heads of the permanent delegations to EFTA. Each EFTA State has one vote at the EFTA Council and their unanimous consent would be required for the UK to re-join EFTA. </span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: inherit;"><b>Do EFTA States have access to the Single Market? </b></span><br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Being an EFTA State does not provide access to the Single Market. However, currently three (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) of the four EFTA States are also members of the European Economic Area (EEA) and, therefore, have access to the Single Market on this basis. Switzerland has negotiated access to the Single Market by means of bilateral agreements with the EU.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Conclusion</b></span><br />
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">As an independent state the Scottish Government needs to consider its trading options either inside the EU, or with EFTA which would provide access to a number of already negotiated free trade agreements with the</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">following</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #353535;"> 27 free trade agreements (covering 38 countries) with the <a href="http://www.efta.int/free-trade/free-trade-agreements" target="_blank">following</a></span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;">Although Scotland would have to comply with the provisions of the EFTA Convention, it is clear that EFTA is open to derogation from its rules.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: museo_sans300, arial, verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: museo_sans300, arial, verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: red;">Coming next:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: museo_sans300, arial, verdana, helvetica, sans-serif;">
Benefits of joining the EEA<br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The </span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">European Economic Area</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> (</span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">EEA</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">) provides for the free movement of persons, goods, services and capital within the single market of the </span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">European Union</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> (</span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">EU</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">)</span></div>
David Thorntonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14420032534863331683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020159413436066955.post-16170085830508188752017-03-17T06:20:00.000-07:002017-03-17T06:36:39.131-07:00The fight for Scottish Independence Netherlands styleI have never seen anything like this before.
The Netherlands have a GoFundMe page where they have raised 707 euros with a goal of 1500 euros. They state on the page <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/nl-for-scottish-independence">https://www.gofundme.com/nl-for-scottish-independence</a> the following
"Scotland will never give up it's fight for independence. But we can always help where we can. I started the Netherlands for Scottish independence movement. And on april 22nd 2017, we will hold a march and rally towards the goal of Scottish independence in the Hague Netherlands. And to make this the event a great success, We ask if you can help us in any way. We hope we will see a lot of you there and that all of us will make it a huge succes and we let Westminster know, that help towards Scottish independence will come from everywhere.
And come and join us on April 22nd in The Hague, The Netherlands, for a great day of stalls, speakers and music. This after a march through the city.
SAOR ALBA"
David Thorntonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14420032534863331683noreply@blogger.com0