Europe

Scottish National Party Member of the European Parliament Alyn Smith is today (Wednesday) leaving the plenary session of the Parliament in Strasbourg a day early to go to Copenhagen to join colleagues in lobbying the COP-15 climate change conference to urge delegates to share Scotland's ambition and deliver a binding, transparent, ambitious and properly funded climate change deal.

SNP MEP Alyn Smith, has welcomed the UK Government’s commitment to an EU fund to help developing nations tackle climate change but said the SNP has been on the front foot.

Alyn Smith MEP has today hailed news that the European Commission has approved a series of renewable energy projects that will receive over GBP 1.5 billion from the EU's economic recovery fund, bringing just over GBP 100 million to Scotland.

Alyn Smith MEP has today sent a briefing to all MEPs and all embassies in Brussels on the actions of the Scottish government and Parliament in tackling climate change.

The SNP MEP who will be in Copenhagen for the climate change talks has slammed the UK Government for denying Scotland a full role in these historic discussions.

The SNP today called on the UK financial authorities to intervene to protect Scottish businesses facing ruin as a consequence of the actions of KPMG, the administrators of the Dunfermline Building Society.

SNP Member of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee has reacted with irritation to a vote yesterday in Strasbourg of the full Parliament on the EU milk crisis which he says will not solve, but instead make worse the crisis Europe's milk producers are experiencing.

SNP MEP Mr Alyn Smith has been confirmed as the sole Scots voice on an influential committee of inquiry established by the European Parliament to look into the causes of the global financial crisis and recommend cures to ensure it does not repeat.

Alyn Smith has today welcomed news that the European Commission has sent a letter to the UK government about the UK transmission charges methodology being discriminatory against the development of renewables in the North of Scotland.

Scottish Government Energy Minister Jim Mather has today (Thursday) congratulated SNP MEP Alyn Smith on his nomination in the MEP of the Year Awards for his work on EU Energy Policy.