Fossil fuel energy sector overseas - trade promotion support: policy

Executive Summary

Scottish Government is committed to a fair and just transition. Oil and gas is a crucial sector for the Scottish economy and a key player in this transition. This document provides detail of how it will implement its policy, announced as part of Scotland's Vision for Trade, on trade promotion support for the fossil fuel sector overseas. It also sets out, in context, the wider policy and business support that Scottish Government will continue to provide the oil and gas sector to transition safely and effectively to net-zero

We are:

• ending routine overseas trade promotion support for purely fossil fuel goods and services from 1 November 2021, apart from small and medium sized-enterprises (SME) who will continue to receive such support until 31 March 2022, taking into consideration the feedback from industry stakeholders.
• continuing to provide support for goods and services that align with the energy transition (see section 4).
• continuing to support purely fossil fuel projects in specific circumstances for example for humanitarian reasons (see Part A of the detailed guidance document; for details of exemptions – follow link at section 5 of this document).
• publishing a comprehensive and transparent guidance to this policy, to provide clarity and certainty for business and civil society. This will include what is exempt from the policy, guidance on how the policy will apply to specific areas and areas not covered by the policy.
• continuing to work with Scottish Development International and their in-market specialists to provide support to companies within the oil and gas sector to help them meet their transition objectives.
• committing to co-design the energy just transition plan in partnership with industry stakeholders as noted in our Just Transition Commission Report Response.