How a 'reverse Greenland' could help Scotland avoid any Brexit fallout
With Brexit, Scotland might just be able to have its cake and eat it too.
Its first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, is interested in the country both effectively and a part of Britain, dubbed the 鈥渞everse Greenland鈥� option, according to Reuters. Ms. Sturgeon reportedly brainstormed the option during meetings with the EU executive branch in Brussels Wednesday.
As Scotland overwhelming rejected Brexit, its vote, out of sync with England鈥檚 vote to 鈥淟eave,鈥� has resurfaced questions about Scottish autonomy and even independence. As Britain attempts to calm its northern neighbor鈥檚 angst, with even the Queen appealing Edinburgh to 鈥�,鈥� Ms. Sturgeon鈥檚 meetings in the European Union鈥檚 capital of Brussels indicate Scotland might have its own seat at the negotiations table for Britain鈥檚 departure from the politico-economic bloc. And with it, Scotland would have the ability to determine how Brexit can best serve it. 聽
Strugeon said she simply wanted 鈥渁ll of the options for Scotland.鈥�
"We come at it from the starting point of protecting Scotland鈥檚 interests,鈥� she told reporters in Brussels. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 come at it from the starting point of independence.鈥� 聽聽
In contrast to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland voted against Brexit in the June 23 referendum: 62 percent of Scotland said they wished to remain in the EU, while 56 percent of Northern Ireland said the same. 聽
For Scotland, the 鈥渞everse Greenland鈥� option might see it assume Britain鈥檚 EU membership, while it continues to be a part of the United Kingdom. Britain, meanwhile, would exit from the EU while Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Gibraltar would remain a part of it. Greenland, a territory of Denmark, pulled out of the EU in the 1980s, even though Denmark remained in the bloc.
How the 鈥渞everse Greenland鈥� option would be realized , wrote the BBC鈥檚 Scotland correspondent Glenn Campbell, in an analysis of different options for the country. Would the pound sterling remain the country鈥檚 currency? Would it and its citizens have unrestricted market and travel access to Britain? 聽
If the EU denies Scotland negotiating its own terms for Brexit, the country would be subject to the arrangement Britain and the EU agree on.
If Britain completely breaks from the bloc, Scotland 200 million pounds ($264 million) in EU funding, which includes funding to create jobs, boost training, and develop transport projects and green energy, according to The Scotsman. 聽
In spite of the benefits the 鈥渞everse Greenland鈥� option could bring Scotland, current and former EU officials have criticized it for its impracticality and the shockwaves it could send throughout Europe. The option is 鈥渟illy,鈥� said David Smith, who was Britain鈥檚 justice on the EU鈥檚 top court, and is a member of an advisory panel Sturgeon created to protect Scotland鈥檚 interests following the Brexit vote. In other arrangements similar to the one Sturgeon floated around, it is the main state, not the minority region, that is outside the EU. And as Smith pointed out, Scotland has 100 times the population of Greenland, and it would be England, 10 times bigger again, that was playing 鈥淕reenland鈥� to Scotland鈥檚 鈥淒enmark.鈥�
The Spanish prime minister slammed the idea too, for fear of the effect it would have on Catalan separatists.
EU, meanwhile, officially maintains Scotland must negotiate with Britain, not it.聽
"Scotland is a part of the UK," a spokesman for the European Commission said. "All parts of the UK should sort out what they want to do," he added, calling the options "speculation.鈥�
Nevertheless, Sturgeon鈥檚 actions have opened up discussions, both in the EU and within Britain, for different ways her country can determine its own future. The EU could grant Scotland other special arrangements, including receiving economic or funding benefits members nations receive. Officials and experts have said 鈥渞everse Greenland鈥� would be one of the most extreme options for Scotland.聽
The most drastic is perhaps Scotland seceding from Britain, which Sturgeon said is . Scotland voted against independence in 2014 because it wanted to continue to receive the benefits of Britain's EU membership. The EU wouldn't guarantee Scotland them otherwise. With the Brexit vote running contrary to that, Sturgeon and others have said a second referendum could lead to a different result.聽
