The intern will strengthen analytical capacity in the EU Secretariat during the second half of the year. The project aims to monitor, analyse, and respond to developments in UK-EU negotiations initiated in Summer 2025, during the post-Scottish Parliament election period in 2026. This work will ensure timely interpretation of key issues for Scotland, such as the food and drink (SPS) agreement and the linking of Emissions Trading Schemes (ETS), and assess their legislative and implementation implications. 
 
The intern’s activities and outputs are expected to be reactive and adapt over the course of the year. Key responsibilities may include: 
• Monitor negotiations by tracking outcomes, draft documents, and media responses; summarise findings into briefing papers.  
• Prepare literature reviews on comparable EU trade agreements and background reports on emerging issues.  
• Analyse existing data to assess impacts on Scottish interests.  
• Conduct comparative legislative and implementation analyses to evaluate how negotiated outcomes may be transposed and enforced. 
 
The intern’s work will strengthen the EU Secretariat’s capacity to anticipate and respond to UK-EU developments, support Scottish Government priorities, and enhance preparedness for implementing new agreements. This contribution aligns with the Programme for Government objective to maximise economic growth through a stronger EU-UK relationship.