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Brexit and Scotland's place in Europe
Scotland is among the most innovative UK locations for investment and trade. Europe, let's keep working together to maintain our great partnership.
How will Brexit affect investment and trade with Scotland?
Regardless of the outcome of Brexit, EU policy and regulation will continue to shape our future business environment. We're actively engaged in European networks and continue to strengthen our relationships in EU markets. We're supported by partners, Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, our international networks and innovation hubs.
We're open to sharing our learning and expertise to support policy and funding developments. Projects that will create opportunities for businesses, universities, colleges and communities across Scotland.
We're also supporting Scotland's enterprise and skills agencies to help businesses. Whether based in Scotland or setting up operations here, we're helping companies actively develop and implement their own Brexit plans (via PrepareforBrexit.scot). This means building resilience and supporting investment in people, technology and markets that will pay dividends longer term.
Open spaces to collaborate
We've set up innovation and investment hubs in Dublin, London, Brussels, Berlin and Paris. This is part of wider work across government, partners and businesses to support trade, investment, innovation and relations with other governments in Europe. These hubs are the ideal platform to explore investment opportunities in Scotland. And an opportunity to work with others, with Scottish industry and universities.
Each hub is different and tailored to the opportunities present in the market it's located in. As well as promoting trade and inward investment, the hubs also cover broader economic opportunities, including:
Promoting Scotland's research, innovation, industrial, social and cultural strengths
Building diplomatic relations between governments
Pursuing cultural collaborations
Exploring collaborative research and innovation opportunities
The hubs complement our other offices across Europe and globally.
Our innovation and investment hubs in Europe
Dublin accordion
Our first innovation and investment hub, in Dublin, was launched in February 2016 to serve as our representation in the Republic of Ireland. It provides dedicated support for building on the pre-existing links between the Republic of Ireland and Scotland. The Dublin hub aims to bring together us and our agencies, as well as public and private partners, to:
Promote trade and investment links
Strengthen relations between governments
Enable greater partnership working on economic, academic and innovation projects
The Dublin hub arranges and assists with trade missions, ministerial visits, and conversations between governments at an official level. It also links up Scottish and Irish businesses that might be interested in events or opportunities in either country.
The Dublin hub works across a range of sectors, including financial services, creative arts, culture and heritage, renewables, low carbon, clean tech and energy efficiency.
Contact our Dublin office
Follow @ScotGovIreland
London accordion
Our London innovation and investment hub, named Scotland House London, operates as a collaborative project between the Scottish Government, Scotland's enterprise agencies and VisitScotland. Scotland House provides a permanent presence in London to:
Pursue economic and business benefits for businesses
Raise the profile of Scottish investment opportunities
Support the development of international collaborations and research partnerships
Provide opportunities to secure funding for innovation and research
Strengthen our inter-governmental relations
Help protect Scotland's place in Europe
Scotland House London also provides companies based in Scotland with a low cost, low risk and flexible home from home in which to engage with global businesses.
Once you've set up operations in Scotland, are trading and committed to growth, Scotland House community membership is open to you. Benefits include access to facilities, meeting rooms and event space. Take a virtual tour.
Visit the Scotland House London website
Follow @ScotHouseLON
Contact our London office
Brussels accordion
Scotland has had a long-established presence in Brussels, celebrating 20 years in Scotland House at Rond-Point Schuman.
With Scotland's newly established network of innovation and investment hubs across Europe, operations in Scotland House Brussels have stepped up. This gives us an even more effective platform to address the challenges of Brexit and to enhance our commitment to playing an active role in Europe and supporting our collaborative approach to working with Scottish, EU and International stakeholders.
Our partners of Scotland House Brussels are the Scottish Government, Scotland Europa and Scottish Enterprise.
Scotland House Brussels is the window to Scotland for the EU and wider European and international partners in Brussels. It's a fully integrated operation providing services to support Scotland's economic growth, diplomatic interests and cultural promotion at the EU level.
We use our expertise and experience to promote Scotland's innovation capability and attract EU investment to Scotland. We also support Scottish organisations to build skills, capacity relationships and productive international networks in key opportunity areas.
Contact our Brussels office
Follow @ScotlandHouseEU
Berlin accordion
Our German innovation and investment hub opened in April 2018 to foster the right conditions and relationships that Scottish companies and organisations need to internationalise and grow:
Promoting investment between German and Scottish businesses and organisations
Increasing Scottish Government influence and engagement with Germany
Encouraging collaboration between business, research, education and cultural institutions
Building on Scotland's reputation as a destination of choice to work, study and visit
The hub is a focal point for Scottish Government engagement across central Europe and jointly houses Scottish Government and Scottish Development International staff. It's located at Wilhelmstraße 70 in central Berlin.
Contact our Berlin office
Follow @ScotGovGermany
Paris accordion
Our French innovation and investment hub opened in autumn 2018. It will help to:
Increase Scottish Government influence and engagement with France
Build on existing trade and investment activity to boost Scotland's trade with France, including supporting successful trade missions to help Scottish companies win business, and to identify and deliver investment projects that create jobs in Scotland
Promote strong links between French and Scottish businesses, academia and other organisations and to identify innovation-focussed opportunities in France
Encourage more collaboration between business, research, education and cultural institutions
Build on Scotland's reputation as a welcoming destination of choice to live, work, study and visit and do business
The hub is a central point for the Scottish Government to engage across France and jointly houses Scottish Government and Scottish Development International staff. It's located at 16 Rue d'Anjou in central Paris.
Contact our Paris office
Follow @ScotGovFrance
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