A delegation of members of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), headed by Stefano Mallia, chair of the EESC Brexit follow-up group, travelled to Scotland on 17 (Edinburgh) and 18 (Glasgow) September. During this visit, they met representatives of Scottish civil society organisations, and of the Scottish Government and Parliament.

The EESC's Brexit follow-up group was created in 2018 to monitor Brexit negotiations, keep members informed of the state of play and propose measures when necessary.

The purpose of this visit was to reflect on ways of establishing a structured form of cooperation with UK organised civil society after Brexit.

As Stefano Mallia said: "The UK has a relationship with the EU which has been built over 45 years of EU membership. It is therefore a special relationship, which the EESC, as the representative of organised civil society, is determined to preserve. We must prepare the groundwork required to ensure that the relationship can and will continue even in a post-Brexit era".

A similar visit took place in Northern Ireland in June 2019 and others will follow in Wales and England before the end of the year. (dgf)