The Scottish Government has announced that it has reached a cooperation agreement with a region of France, with the aim of strengthening its position as a leader of renewable energy.
A bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Scotland and Brittany, with the agreement being the first of its kind. It will see Scottish companies given the chance to capitalise on the expansion of offshore win projects off the Brittany coast, whilst also helping to share best practices. A programme of actions is also to be instigated through the MoU covering institutional relations, culture, and heritage, as well as education and research, fisheries and diaspora.
The development of this has come through a meeting between a delegation of 15 Scottish companies and representatives from Brittany’s offshore wind sector. Supported by Scottish Development International, the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss future collaboration.
Shona Robison, Deputy First Minister, said:
“Scotland is working with our partners in Europe and this MOU and Declaration will help us collaborate across a range of topics.
“The people of Scotland resoundingly rejected Brexit, yet it has caused significant adverse impacts to our economy and trade relations. In spite of this, the Scottish Government remains firmly committed to developing partnerships with our European neighbours.
“We are keen to maximise opportunities for Scottish companies to learn from our Celtic partners as we look towards a future with cleaner, greener energy.
“Scotland’s rich renewables endowment means we can not only generate enough cheap electricity to power Scotland’s economy, but can also export electricity to our neighbours, supporting jobs here in Scotland and the decarbonisation ambitions of our partners.”
Away from the green energy agreement, the Scottish Government has also signed a new declaration – the Rennes Declaration – that will help to build on top of existing cultural, historical and linguistic bonds with other regions. These regions include Brittany, Ireland and Wales, as well as the Spanish Region of Galicia. This will also present an opportunity to work alongside other partners such as Cornwall and Asturias.
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