ESEC actively engages with decision-makers in the policy-making processes at national and EU level, and we regularly respond to consultation requests on areas of key importance for our region. Please see below for responses to recent consultations.
In February 2020 we responded to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the replacement of European Structural Funds in Scotland Post EU-Exit.
Our response calls on the replacement framework to follow the principles of traditional EU Structural Funds programmes and should seek to achieve social and economic progress based on need/levels of deprivation, but also the economic performance and potential of towns and cities, both urban and rural.
The full response can be accessed here.
In November 2019, ESEC responded to the Migration Advisory Committee’s Call for Evidence Salary Threshold and Points-Based System Commission.
Our response considered the impact of post-Brexit immigration rules on some of our key sectors, including the gaming industry, agriculture, tourism, hospitality, and energy (including renewables).
Please see here to read our full response.
Our member councils have been fully engaged with the current EU Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) programmes, and of the previous programmes, and we therefore welcomed the opportunity to respond to the consultation on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, launched by the All- Party Parliamentary Group on Post-Brexit Funding for Nations, Regions and Local Areas.
We were pleased with the subsequent APPG report and we hope the UK Government takes the recommendations on board, ahead of the launch of their own consultation.
Please see here for our submission to the APPG consultation.
ESEC’s local authority members are fully engaged with European funding and policy programmes, and the impact of Brexit is already having an impact on day-to-day operations. We require assurances on the financial frameworks which will replace EU funding such as the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Scottish Rural Development Programme. We all seek clarity on the role of Scottish organisations in transnational programmes such as Horizon 2020, INTERREG and Erasmus+.
Please see here for our response to the Scottish Parliament’s inquiry on European Structural and Investment funds and here for our response to the Finance Committee’s inquiry on the funding of EU competences.
In 2015, ESEC was requested by the Scottish Parliament to submit written and oral evidence to the European and External Relations Committee on their inquiry ‘Connecting Scotland: How Scottish organisations engage internationally.’
The evidence submitted demonstrated that ESEC and its members are highly active in international engagement, both within the European Union and globally. Our members are engaged in EU transnational funding programmes, town-twinning activities, and educational and cultural exchanges.
For more information, please see:
- ESEC’s written evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Connecting Scotland’s inquiry
- The Scottish Parliament’s official report on the Connecting Scotland inquiry