By Kathleen Nutt

Political Correspondent

ANGUS Robertson will this week travel to Brussels in a bid to build closer relations between Scotland and the European Union.

The trip by the Cabinet Secretary for External Relations follows First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's two day visit to Washington DC earlier this month and the publication of a new global strategy by the Scottish Government.

Ahead of his visit, Mr Robertson is tomorrow expected to give the Scottish Government's backing to the Northern Ireland protocol - which sees checks on goods into the region which is more closely with EU rules than the rest of the UK.

Boris Johnson's government is planning to bring in legislation to over-ride the protocol - which was agreed between the EU and the UK in the Withdrawal Agreement - amid opposition to it from the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland who say the arrangement treats the region differently from Britain and undermines the Union.

Ms Sturgeon has repeatedly said she intends to hold a referendum on independence by the end of next year, Covid permitting, and take an independent Scotland back into the EU.

During the 2014 referendum Scots were told by the Pro-Union side the EU wouldn't accept an independent Scotland as a member pointing to Spanish fears that if Scotland became independent and joined the EU, the move would strengthen the Catalan push for independence.

But since Brexit, many European politicians have spoken about being more open to an independent Scotland joining the EU.

And last week the former French ambassador to the UK Sylvie Bermann told the Herald on Sunday an independent Scotland would be welcome into the EU. “We’ll welcome it,” Bermann said. “It was more difficult during the referendum on independence because of the reaction of Spain [due to the issue of Catalan independence]. So at that time maybe it wouldn’t have been so popular but I think the situation has changed because there’s been Brexit.”

As Scotland would be joining the EU as a new country, Bermann said: “Probably there would be some negotiation, but [Scotland joining the EU] would be good for Europe. There’s no reason why if there’s this referendum which is accepted that we shouldn’t want to have Scotland – we’ll be very happy.”

Commenting on Mr Robertson's visit to the Belgium capital, Dr Kirsty Hughes, an expert on the European Union and a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, said: "Strengthening networks in Brussels is important, not least when the UK government is so at odds with the EU. The challenge will be to find concrete ways to engage."

But Shadow Culture, Europe and International Development Minister, the Conservative MSP Sharon Dowey hit out pointing out the visit came after his Tartan Day trip to the US and Canada in April and the First Minister's visit to Washington DC earlier this month.

“Given both Angus Robertson and Nicola Sturgeon have been on recent overseas trips, taxpayers will be questioning why another jaunt is happening so soon," she said.

“It appears senior SNP figures are much happier when they are pushing their independence cause abroad, rather than tackling the huge challenges facing them at home.

“With the census rollout in Scotland being utterly shambolic, the public would expect Angus Robertson to be firmly focused on dealing with that, rather than spending time further afield again.”