Scottish Budget 2021 to 2022

Chapter 13 Constitution, Europe and External Affairs

Portfolio Responsibilities

The Constitution, Europe and External Affairs (CEEA) portfolio engages at home and internationally to enhance Scotland's reputation and increase sustainable economic growth, pursue our interests overseas, and promote Scotland as a great place to live, visit, work and do business through European and wider International Affairs. We are committed to being a good global citizen, and to playing our part in tackling global challenges including poverty, injustice and inequality. We want to make Scotland an open and welcoming nation for people and their families to live, work and make a positive contribution to our country.

With the end of the EU Exit transition period, our role as an open, outward-looking, connected country is more important than ever. Across our international and European relationships - supported by the work of our external network of offices - we will continue our commitment to internationalisation by building on relationships, sharing the skills and expertise of our colleges and universities, celebrating cultural and ancestral connections and exchanging policy ideas to address shared challenges, ensuring Scotland remains a valued and well-connected nation, despite the UK's decision to leave the EU. We will demonstrate our commitment to EU values and our alignment with EU policy priorities.

The portfolio also coordinates the development and implementation of the Scottish Government's policies on constitutional change, devolution, relations with the other three UK Governments, elections, veterans, Freedom of Information, the legislative and constitutional impacts of EU exit, and Cabinet business and the government's legislative programme, including on COVID-19.

Spending Plans

*Annual Managed Expenditure

Constitution, Europe and External Affairs contributions to the National Outcomes

Primary National Outcomes

• International
• Communities

Secondary National Outcomes

• Education
• Health
• Children and Young People
• Economy
• Poverty
• Culture

For further information on the purpose of the portfolio budget, and contributions to national outcomes (including impacts of spend on equality of outcome) please refer to the relevant portfolio annex in the published Equalities and Fairer Scotland Budget Statement.