Strengthening European ties

Culture, Tourism and External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop will visit Brussels to open the event ‘A Sporting Legacy – contributing to Europe’s competitiveness in a global marketplace’, organised by the Scottish Government.

During the visit, Ms Hyslop will undertake a series of cultural and political engagements, including meetings with Germany’s State Secretary for Sport Aleksander Dzembritzki and other political and European Championships representatives.

In addition, Ms Hyslop will meet Danuta Hubner, Chair of Constitutional Affairs Committee at the European Parliament, and other MEPs to confirm Scotland’s commitment to engage with European partners as Brexit negotiations progress.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Ms Hyslop said:

“The European Championships, to be hosted in Berlin and Glasgow this August, are an exciting new addition to our sporting calendar, enhancing Scotland’s connections with Berlin and other European partners.

“Building on the success of recent sporting events such as the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup, we will ensure the 2018 Championships are a success, including providing a platform to showcase our culture to an international audience.

“My engagements in Brussels will help us strengthen our strong social, cultural and economic ties with our EU partners and reassure them that, despite Brexit, Scotland is an open and forward-looking nation.

“As set out in our recently published paper, all the scenarios point to Brexit having a damaging impact on Scotland’s economy, demography and wellbeing. We will do all we can to protect our links with Europe and provide the certainty that people and businesses want.”