Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Culture Tourism and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop and youth from Germany and Scotland in Berlin. Picture by Scottish Government.
Monday, 23 April 2018, Berlin: The Scottish Government External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop was on a two-day visit in Berlin, where she ceremoniously launched a new Scottish Government Hub in the city alongside Her Britannic Majesty’s Ambassador to Germany, Sir Sebastian Wood.
The Germany Hub is the latest addition to the Scottish Government network of offices outwith Scotland, adding to those in London, Dublin, Brussels, Beijing and Washington DC. The Berlin-based hub is housed in the premises of the British Embassy in the vicinities of the Brandenburg Gate. The latter office is headed by Director Dr. Alexandra Stein.
Secretary Hyslop’s engagements also included meetings with the Berlin organisers of the European Championships, to be jointly hosted with Glasgow in August 2018.
In the words of External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop: “Scotland and Germany already have many close ties. There are 30,000 Germans who live in Scotland – and Germany is our fourth largest export market. I am confident that the new hub in Berlin will help foster many more mutually beneficial links.
I look forward to a productive series of engagements, spanning business, parliamentary and sporting interests, particularly as we look ahead to Glasgow and Berlin hosting the first-ever multi-sport European Championships.
“The continued risks and uncertainties of Brexit mean it is all the more important that Scotland reaches out to our neighbours in the European Union. Therefore it is significant that we are establishing a Scottish Government presence in the capital of Europe’s largest economy.”
In summer 2018, a Parliamentary Committee for Economy and Energy from the German Bundestag is due to visit Scotland to strengthen cooperation in the two aforementioned fields.
Cabinet Secretary Hyslop likewise paid working visits to the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry, INNOGY innovation hub – which promotes new business start ups – as well as 12.18 Investment Management (new owner of Roxburghe Hotel and golf course in Scotland).
Unlike the rest of the United Kingdom, most Scots voted to remain within the European Union, and thus one priority for Scotland is to ensure the best possible ties are kept vis-à-vis the EU by staying in the Single Market as well as the Customs Union.
For further information:
Scottish Government: http://www.gov.scot/About
Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs (Fiona Hyslop): https://beta.gov.scot/about/who-runs-government/cabinet-and-ministers/cabinet-secretary-culture-tourism-external-affairs/
The Scottish Government’s position on Brexit: https://beta.gov.scot/brexit/https://beta.gov.scot/brexit/https://beta.gov.scot/brexit/
British Embassy to Germany (Sir Sebastian Wood): https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-berlin
European Championships: https://www.europeanchampionships.com
