During a behind-closed-door meeting with MEPs, European Commission vice-president Mr Sefcovic said the bloc would never allow Scotland to participate in the overseas study scheme. According to a leaked transcript, Slovakian Ms Sefcovic told members of the European Parliament's Brexit committee: There is no special treatment for Scotland in sight.
He insisted that there was no plans to create any new tools for the inter-mobility of students between the EU and the UK. Mr Sefcovic's blunt comments followed a speech by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, in February.
She said that the only possibility for the UK is to associate as a whole, or not at all. Despite its ties with Brussels, the UK is still in a state of flux in some EU schemes. It has signed up to the Horizon research programme for scientists, although it has been temporarily blocked due to the smouldering row over the Northern Ireland Protocol. In December of last year, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that the Government was withdrawing from Erasmus, with then-Brexit negotiator Lord Frost unhappy with the 2 billion price tag that would have been payable to Brussels over the course of seven years. JUST IN: Russia war fears Ukraine conducts military drills with US weapons.
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The UK Government knew perfectly well the views of the devolved governments on this matter, and we were not told the truth about it. We were never shown the value for money assessment carried out, and we believe that the UK Government is trying to stay in or at least stay in until the end of the day. The Scottish Government announced earlier this year plans to spend 2.25 million on so-called Saltire scholarships.