Europe Minister Ben Macpherson says: "We look forward to welcoming Europe to our shores next summer."

It will benefit our economy and international relationships, he states.

We are determined to support fair access to tickets for Euro 2020 so ticket touting for the matches will be made a criminal offence by this bill, explains the minister.

He concludes by stating Scotland is delighted to be involved in Euro 2020 and this bill will make it happen.

Four new offences are being introduced, largely modelled on similar offences which were introduced during the Commonwealth Games in 2014. These are:

1. A ticketing offence for selling a ticket above face value, or with a view to making a profit. This offence will be committed whether the transaction takes place in person or electronically. This offence will be punishable with a fine of up to £5,000.
2. A trading offence for trading in one of the three event zones without appropriate authorisation. This aims to protect UEFA-approved vendors during the hours of operation of the event zones, and will be punishable with a fine of up to £20,000.
3. An advertising offence for advertising in one of the three event zones. This aims to protect UEFA-approved sponsors during the hours of operation of the event zones, and will be punishable with a fine of up to £20,000.
4. An offence will also be created for impeding the work of an enforcement officer. This will be punishable with a fine of up to £5,000.

Image source, SNCS

The UEFA European Championship (Scotland) Bill, external will allow part of the Euro 2020's to be held in Glasgow.

It includes measures to prevent ticket touting, ticket scalping and unauthorised street trading.

To that end it will create four new offences, all of which are largely modelling on those introduced ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

The total cost of the bill will be between £70,000 and £134,000, the majority of which will be borne by Glasgow City Council.

Image source, bbc

MSPs have debated and voted on Stage 3 amendments to the UEFA European Championship (Scotland) Bill, external.

All the amendments were agreed to in an outbreak of unanimity and consensus.

• UEFA European Championship (Scotland) Bill: as amended at Stage 2, external

• Marshalled List of Amendments at Stage 3 , external
• Groupings of Amendments at Stage 3 , external

Nicola Sturgeon has told MSPs that Scotland is facing a watershed moment, following the SNP's comprehensive win in Scotland in last week's general election.

The first minister said this put the country at odds with the rest of the UK, which returned a majority Conservative government.

Ms Sturgeon said plans will be published later this week on transferring powers to allow Scotland to stage a further independence referendum, to be held next year.

She called for the parties to support her bid to have the right to stage such a ballot.

UK ministers have so far ruled out a further vote.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie offers congratulations for the SNP's victory but he questions how many of their votes were to show support for independence.

"Surely the first minister must see that the country has had enough of division."

He argues the SNP failed to persuade "even half" of the country to back another vote on independence.

I think the UK showed they had enough of the Liberal Democrats, hits back Ms Sturgeon.

She accepts not everyone who supported the SNP will support independence, but people understood her party's proposition to offer another vote on it.

Scottish Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie says his party is more than ready to campaign to make independence the path the country takes.

Mr Harvie says the Scottish government must first protect Scotland from the Boris Johnson government which can be expected to be "brutal" to the most vulnerable in society.

He asks for an assurance the Scottish government will do everything possible to resist the "money laundering" and "tax avoidance scam" that is the policy of free ports.

Image source, bbc

The first minister says the best way forward for Scotland is to stay in the customs union and not through free ports.

Ms Sturgeon agrees the immediate task is to protect Scotland from the UK government, but the ability to do that is constrained by the budget decisions made at Westminster.

The best thing we can do to protect Scotland from the Tories is through independence, she argues.

The first minister says the Scottish government will use the powers of this parliament to protect Scotland.

She welcomes any attempt to work on a cross-party basis to do this.

However she says the fundamental difference between her and Mr Leonard is that she believes this parliament will be better as an independent parliament rather than one that mitigates UK government decisions.

"It's not for me to decide that," she says, adding it is for the Scottish people to decide through a referendum.

Image source, bbc

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard says the Scottish Labour Party is happy to support the Scottish government demands for a seat at the table of the Brexit negotiations.

Mr Leonard adds he is happy to work on a cross-party basis to resist the "attacks" of Boris Johnson on the people.

"Will the first minister use all the powers of this parliament as part of that campaign of resistance?"

Ms Sturgeon urges Mr Carlaw to reflect on the results of the general election because they "lost the election overwhelmingly in Scotland".

They seem to be arguing their manifesto should be implemented rather than that of the party that "fairly and squarely" won the election, she adds.

The first minister reiterates the Scottish Conservatives campaigned on a platform of no to indyref2.

"Conservatives at Westminster are not interested in Scotland's voice and have no interest in standing up for Scotland's interests."

Image source, bbc

Scottish Conservative interim leader Jackson Carlaw says what this election has confirmed is the whole of the UK will be leaving the EU at the end of next month.

Mr Carlaw adds: "Brexit is no longer a what if, it is a political reality for us all."

He asks the first minister if she will seek to engage constructively with the UK government as it begins negotiations with the EU in preparation to leave.

The Scottish Conservative interim leader asks if the first minister will heed the call from CBI to end the uncertainty that has hung over the Scotland for too long.

Turning to the budget, Ms Sturgeon highlights the UK government has not confirmed when it will produce its own budget and this may not be until March.

She says this will therefore require parties to work together to meet the timetable.

The first minister confirms she will "take the next steps" to secure a second independence referendum in the next week.

Ms Sturgeon says it seems the prime minister is determined to quickly push through the Withdrawal Agreement Bill.

The first minister adds Holyrood will have to consider whether or not it will give consent to this Bill.

"If the UK government was to press ahead without that consent it would be further proof of Westminster’s contempt for devolution and its willingness to tear up established constitutional rules in its pursuit of Brexit."

In response to this, the Scottish government will convene a number of round table meetings in January, bringing together key groups that represent different aspects of Scottish life, she explains.

Ms Sturgeon says it is essential that Brexit and a "right wing Conservative government is not foisted upon Scotland."

She confirms she will publish a case for another referendum on independence this week "that is beyond legal challenge."

There is a growing recognition of a mandate for a referendum and the situation is now urgent, hence calls for a vote next year the first minister says.

She said: "It now seems inevitable that at the end of January, Scotland will be taken out of the European Union against our will."