The Scottish Government's involvement in EU policy networks: FOI release

Information requested

You asked about the Scottish Government's involvement in EU policy networks, any and all groups which have a policy interest in the European level.

Response

In answering your request, I have made a judgement on how to interpret some of the terms you use. I have interpreted 'European level' to be any group whose aims and objectives concern the continent of Europe but which does not operate domestically within the UK or in the wider international sphere.

Additionally, I have interpreted your criteria of 'Involvement' to be where the Scottish Government is a member, signatory or observer as an organisation in its own right and not as part of the UK.

In attempting to answer your request as fully as possible, this list has been sourced from colleagues working in the Directorate for External Affairs (DExA) and in the Scottish Government EU Office (SGEUO) in Brussels, being those officials most likely to have knowledge of the groupings you describe.

I should stress that the list provided may not be comprehensive as no centralised list of Scottish Government involvement in groups at the European level exists. As such, some groups with which the Scottish Government is involved may be absent. For example, bi-lateral engagement between Scottish Government directorates and European organisations which do not require the oversight or involvement of DExA or SGEUO. To request an organisation-wide search on all organisations would likely exceed the £600 upper cost limit of locating, retrieving and providing the information as laid out in section 12 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act (FOISA). I have therefore attempted to respond to your query as fully as possible, keeping within the upper cost limit.

The following organisations have been identified in response to your request;

• Academy of European Law (ERA)

• Vanguard Initiative

• European Higher Education Area

• European Policy Centre

• The Network for Legislative Cooperation between the Ministries of Justice of the European

• Union

• Brussels Representatives in Agriculture Group

• Trade Representatives in Brussels Evening

• Government Grouping of the Zero Emissions Platform (ZEP)

• Under2 Coalition

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.