From stewartb:
AN INTENTION TO MISREPORT?
Any simple – and simplistic – emphasis on the elapse time between Scotland’s independence and the date on which its EU membership might finally be signed (see later caveat!) is intended to discourage if not scare. It is put out there by the corporate media and the BBC with little or none of the context and qualification that honest reporting to support an informed democracy – and not just support Unionism – would ensure. It can seem designed to leave one lasting ‘impression’, namely that in the period after a successful independence vote Scotland will be banished to a ‘lonely economic wasteland’, not in the UK and not in the EU.
But this is far from the case as another, recent report from the SCER makes clear – a report which quite specifically addresses ‘accession’ practicalities. Yes this report also notes that: “The fastest an independent Scotland might join the EU is about 4-5 years from independence.”
Source: Kirsty Hughes (editor), 2020, An Independent Scotland in the EU: Issues for Accession
(But even on timeframe, amongst the same authors there have been more optimistic forecasts. Kirsty Hughes and Tobias Lock (2017) who looked at how it might even take only 3-4 years: “An Independent Scotland and the EU: What Route to Membership?” European Futures website.)
THE ‘MISSING’ CONTEXT
However, the 2020 report concludes much more than just this 4-5 year figure!
As its summary explains: “After a ‘yes’ vote in an independence referendum, and after a ‘divorce’ agreement with the UK, Scotland would be in a TRANSITION PERIOD – FROM THE UK AND TOWARDS THE EU. Fabian Zuleeg argues (chapter four) that an independent Scotland might need to take a leaf out of the Brexit transition period that the UK is currently in. “ (my emphasis)
Moreover, Zuleeg concludes: “If Scotland commits to EU membership and the associated conditions, it is likely that an independent Scotland could join the EU RATHER QUICKLY, given the path to independence via Brexit and the close alignment of Scotland with the EU body of law.”
And mindful that accession is also a political process no doubt, he adds: “… it is also in the interest of the EU to make the accession process A SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE, not least to ensure that the Scottish commitment to the EU is maintained.”
TRANSITIONING FROM THE UK
Zuleeg considers this: “…. extend the period Scotland remains in the UK economic framework beyond the point of de jure independence; economically, there could be transition agreements that imply that de facto economic independence comes after de jure independence. This would need to be a time-limited arrangement, NOT DISSIMILAR TO the transition period the EU and the UK agreed upon within the Withdrawal Agreement, dependent on the agreement of both an independent Scotland and the rest of the UK.”
TRANSITIONING TO THE EU
Here the proposition is: “… a comprehensive and ambitious PRE-ACCESSION AGREEMENT (with the EU), coming into force as early as possible. In terms of economic arrangements, it could contain a provision for associate EEA membership, essentially ensuring that an independent Scotland would be WITHIN THE SINGLE MARKET FROM THE MOMENT THE PRE-ACCESSION AGREEMENT COMES INTO FORCE, offering a mechanism of dynamic alignment that would minimise divergence between Scotland and the EU EVEN IF the time period until membership is longer than expected.”
Crucially, Zuleeg adds: “ A temporary docking on to the EEA (rather than permanent membership) could be an economically, technically and politically FEASIBLE ECONOMIC ‘BRIDGE’ to membership.”
SCOTLAND IN ‘SAFE HARBOUR’
It is also argued in the SCER report that: “A comprehensive pre-accession agreement would provide an independent Scotland with a ‘safe harbour’, NO MATTER HOW LONG the delay to membership. While it is likely that this period is comparatively short, it is an effective insurance mechanism that PROVIDES CONTINUITY AND MINIMISES DISRUPTION.”
“Potentially (this) could be a win-win, with Scotland helping to bridge the gap between the EU and the UK, including in relation to Northern Ireland, but this will depend on the cooperation and good will of all parties involved.”
(THE CAVEAT: Of course all the above is based on the assumption that post-independence when exercising our new found ‘agency’ – our capacity to act – that we the electorate of Scotland will in the majority choose to accept the EU deal on offer and opt to become a full member! We could prefer EFTA after all.))
AND FINALLY … SO IS BBC SCOTLAND KEEPING US ‘INFORMED’?
Did much of this come across from the current corporate media or BBC Scotland coverage? Marks out of 10 for adherence to the BBC Charter on helping license payers ‘understand’?
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Nil points , absolutely of no use to the Scottish public ! .
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It is absolutely obvious that the EU would welcome Scotland back into the EU in a flash , because the EU , as a whole yes as a whole detest the U.K. government what with their forty year intransigent attitude when in the EU and their obstructionist attitude to reaching sensible agreements on leaving the EU and now their idiocy in exiting the European communities communications arrangements for dealing with contagious diseases.
I see Poland’s government is so untrusting of the U.K.s ability to provide decent healthcare and guidance to people in the U.K. during this corona virus crisis that they are making flights available on their national airline for Polish citizens to return to Poland from U.K.
People across the world are seeing with their own eyes just how useless the U.K. government is at running a country
the EU has on many occasions said that Scotland is welcome to rejoin the EU and will be given a fast track route in.
It makes sense for Scotland where nearly all people want to be in the EU to rejoin
It makes sense for England where a sizeable majority of people want to be out of the EU are allowed to be out of the EU
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