STEPHEN Gethins will travel to the European Union for the first time since joining the Scottish Government.
The minister for Europe, external affairs and energy said he would stress Scotland’s “critical” role in protecting the continent’s energy security while on his first official visit to Brussels.
Gethins, who was appointed to the role in May after the Holyrood election, will arrive in the city on Monday for a two-day visit.
He will meet representatives from the European Parliament and the European Commission during his trip.
He is expected to tell them Scotland’s natural resources and infrastructure could help tackle rising energy bills, and that the country should rejoin the European Union as an independent nation.
Gethins said: “Scotland has a critical role to play in safeguarding European energy security. At a time of rising bills, driven by geopolitical instability, Europe needs reliable partners and reliable supply – and Scotland can be both.
“As a massive energy exporter, Scotland can be part of the solution. In 2025 alone, our net electricity exports were 20.8 terawatt hours, enough to power the equivalent of every home in Scotland for around three-and-a-half years.
“This is also happening in the backdrop of the recent 10th anniversary of the UK’s Brexit referendum.
“The decision to leave the EU has caused nothing but harm to Scotland. Scotland is a proud European nation, and I also believe that Scotland’s brightest future is as an independent nation and member of the European Union for the sake of our security, prosperity, and our people.
“Scotland has been at the heart of Europe in the past and it is where we will remain now and in the future.
“That is my message to our key partners on my first ministerial visit to Brussels.”
