EU in uncharted legal waters on Scottish independence

Last week's announcement by Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond that he intends to hold a referendum on Scotland's independence in 2014 implies uncharted legal territory for the EU.

A newly independent Scotland would raise a number of thorny questions around its relations with the European Union - including whether it would have to fully renegotiate membership and whether it would be obliged to become a member of the euro.

For the EU itself, the issue would present a political an...