communautaire -- the body of common standards and rules applicable to members. This took a number of years. Jose Manuel Barroso, the President of the EU Commission, has reportedly confirmed that Scotland would indeed need to apply for membership as a new state. The Spanish Foreign Minister, Jos Manuel Garca-Margallo, has added that it would need to 'join the queue', apparently having to take its place after Croatia, Serbia and perhaps other states. But these claims are not realistic either. Obviously, as Graham Avery, Honorary Director-General of the EU Commission has noted, as a part of the EU, Scotland already complies with all aspects of the acquis. Nevertheless, difficult accession negotiations would still need to be held with Brussels. They would need to address preferential rights for Scotland to its fisheries, opt-outs in relation to particular parts of EU laws, representation and voting rights, and contributions to the budget. These talks would take place after a referendum favouring independence and before independence is declared. They would be held in parallel with the equally complex negotiations about the terms of a divorce with Westminster. During this period, Scotland would need to achieve an unprecedented "accession from within" the EU. This would require the goodwill and diplomatic support of London. Several EU member states strongly oppose secession. Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia, Spain and Romania have frustrated EU recognition of Kosovo to make this point. They would need to understand that Scotland is a different case. As the UK would accept any decision Scotland