SNP appeals over Scottish seat at the EU table

The administration wants the Liberal Democrats to back the proposal, pointing to similar attempts by the party before the Scottish Parliament was set up more than a decade ago.

It comes as the government prepares to publish details of its plan in the coming days.

Closer involvement in the EU is among six demands the SNP wants included in wide-ranging changes to devolution legislation.

The SNP administration points to what it sees as anomalies within the UK member state's position in the EU. The UK has more than one justice system, for example, and 70 per cent of fish landings are made by Scottish vessels.

A spokesman for external affairs secretary Fiona Hyslop said: "Given that the Liberal Democrats are in government at Westminster, we hope that they will support now what they backed in the 1990s.

"It would be an excellent example of parties and governments, Holyrood and Westminster, coming together to support the Scottish interest.

"We have had the daft situation where Scotland's fisheries secretary Richard Lochhead was refused the opportunity to attend an informal Fisheries Council in Vigo, Spain, in April 2010 in favour of an unelected Westminster lord whose responsibility was for bee health, not fishing."

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: "The Liberal Democrats in government led by Scottish Secretary Michael Moore have already secured and implemented an even better deal for Scotland on EU delegations.

"This didn't require legislation and was implemented immediately. Scottish ministers have a right to be part of the UK delegations in Europe and, at times, Scottish ministers will be able to lead on key subjects of great importance to Scotland."