Chamber and committees

Scotland's International Policy Framework and Priorities for 2018

Submitted by: Fiona Hyslop, Linlithgow, Scottish National Party.
Date lodged: Monday, 15 January 2018
Motion reference: S5M-09887
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, 16 January 2018

Motions as amended

That the Parliament notes the new International Framework and International Policy Statement published on 8 December 2017 and the four overarching objectives that it contains; supports the Scottish Government working with business, higher education, civic Scotland, trade unions and the UK Government in achieving the best outcomes for the people of Scotland; recognises that Scotland must now work toward a new lasting progressive partnership with the EU based on shared values and history; agrees that maintaining an international perspective remains vital to the continued prosperity of Scotland’s economy, society and people; commends the Principles for Just Trade Deals paper, which has been published by the Trade Justice Scotland Coalition; believes that international trade agreements are a key opportunity for Scotland to provide ethical leadership; further believes that such trade deals should support rather than undermine human rights, labour and environmental standards and that these trade agreements should be based on solidarity and facilitating the two-way sharing of knowledge and technologies with the Global South; calls on the UK Government to ensure that the devolved administrations have a formal role in the negotiation and democratic scrutiny of future agreements; commends the efforts of those building partnerships to advance Scotland’s role as a good global citizen; shares the importance of a human rights-based approach in doing so; believes that there should be a clear protocol on human rights for Scottish public agencies operating in countries where there is cause for concern, and calls for the Scottish Government’s working practices and cabinet secretary sign-off protocols to be revised to make sure that basic checks on the human rights record of potential partners and investors are made at an earlier stage.

Supported by: Alasdair Allan