Strengthening #Scotland links with #France

Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations, Michael Russell, will be in Paris tomorrow (29 August) to address 3,000 representatives of French businesses at MEDEF, France’s largest business conference.  MEDEF is the leading network of entrepreneurs in France. Over 95% of the businesses are SMEs.

Russell, speaking after Edouard Philippe French PM,  will reiterate that the Scottish government wants Scotland to remain within the EU or, if that’s not possible, within the Single Market and Customs Union  He will also repeat that the Scottish government is working to strengthen links with the EU and EU countries despite Brexit and that Scotland is a natural partner for French businesses and destination for French visitors.

Russell will say:  “Scotland hugely values our relationship with France, and we are determined to make it go from strength to strength. Business links between our two countries are very important. France is Scotland’s third most important export destination.

"In recent years you have been our largest European inward investor. French businesses employ more than 20,000 people in Scotland. And 10,000 French citizens currently live in Scotland, contributing hugely to our economy and culture and our society.  “The Scottish Government’s position on Brexit is a very straightforward one. Scotland did not vote for Brexit. We voted to remain inside the European Union by 62% to 38%. Every local authority area in Scotland voted to remain. We believe Brexit will be deeply damaging. That is why – short of remaining in the EU – our position is that the UK should remain in the customs union and single market – a market which is around eight times bigger than the UK market alone.

“That’s not a purely economic judgement, although the economy is important.  The values of the European Union also matter – there’s something highly appealing about the principle of 28 independent countries working to promote peace and prosperity.  “The UK government has ruled out single market membership. However, the solutions it does claim to want may not prove to be possible. The potential chaos that could be caused by alternative solutions is becoming all too obvious.

“So for all of these reasons, the Scottish Government will continue to argue for a common sense approach to Brexit –one which preserves membership of the single market and customs union. We believe that that is the best outcome for Scotland, for the UK as a whole, and indeed for Europe.

“Regardless of the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, Scotland will continue to be an outward looking, open, internationalist country. And as part of that, we will continue to encourage trade, inward investment and international collaboration. In doing so, we are making it clear that how much importance we attach to our friendship with France.”

More information about MEDEF

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