This is one of the most important reasons Scotland should remain in the EU. EU trade means real jobs in communities up and down Scotland. The Scottish Government set this figure at around 300,000 jobs.[1]
Yes, alternatives to EU membership could be found but the bottom line is simple: Scotland needs to remain a member of the single market and, if we want any say over the rules that govern that market, we need to be in the EU. The EU is one of the largest single markets in the world[2]. In 2014 alone the EU’s exports of goods was equivalent to 15.0 % of the world’s total despite only being home to 6.9% of the world’s population.[3]
Scotland takes full advantage of its EU membership. Just under one half of all trade (43%) from Scotland was with other EU member states in 2015, with a total value of £12.3 billion.[4]
Did you know?Four of Scotland’s top five trading destinations are within the single market (Netherlands, France, Germany, Norway.)[5] |
All this trade, and all these jobs, are at risk by removing Scotland from the EU.
[1] ‘The Benefits of Scotland's EU Membership’, The Scottish Government, 2015.
[2] GDP (PPP) Data, International Monetary Fund, April 2017.
[3] ‘Measuring the EU’s economy’, European Commission, 2017.
[4] ‘Export Statistics Scotland’, The Scottish Government, 25 January 2017.
[5] ‘Export Statistics Scotland’, The Scottish Government, 25 January 2017.