“The Scottish Government’s overriding objective is to protect Scotland’s relationship with and place in the European Union,” said Sturgeon.

“The Standing Council on Europe will provide advice on how best to achieve those objectives.

“More than 60% of voters in Scotland wanted to stay in the EU to protect the jobs, investment and trade that depend on it.

“We chose to be an open, inclusive and outward-looking society where other EU citizens are welcome to live, work and contribute, and we voted to protect the freedom and prosperity that comes with our rights to travel, live, work and study in other European countries.

“We now need to set out and evaluate all the impacts of the referendum result and all of the options open to Scotland to secure our relationship with the EU.

“The Council draws on a breadth and wealth of knowledge and experience, comprising specialists with backgrounds in business, finance, economics, European and diplomatic matters, and it will encompass a range of political and constitutional opinions.

“Members will consider the impact of proposed changes to the UK’s relationship with the EU on Scottish interests and advise Ministers throughout our negotiations on the best way to secure Scottish interests and objectives.”

Members invited to take part in the Standing Council include:

• Vasco Cal, an economist who has worked as an Economic Adviser in the Bureau of European Policy Advisers of the European Commission
• Professor Sir David Edward, Professor Emeritus at the School of Law, University of Edinburgh, and former Judge of the Court of Justice of the European Communities, 1992-2004
• David Frost, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association who previously worked as Director for Europe, Trade, and International Affairs at the Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills
• Anne Glover, the first Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission between 2012 and 2015
• Charles Grant, who helped found the Centre for European Reform in 1996, and was a director and trustee of the British Council
• John Kay, one of Britain’s leading economists whose career has spanned academia, think tanks, business schools, company directorships, consultancies and investment companies
• Lord Kerr , who was Foreign Office Permanent-Under-Secretary from 1997 to 2002 and in 2004 became an independent member of the House of Lords, where he serves on the EU Economic Affairs Select Committee
• Mariot Leslie, who joined the British Diplomatic Service in 1977 with a range of overseas postings as well as senior posts in the UK
• David Martin, who has been a Member of the European Parliament since 1984 and represents Scotland
• Amanda McMillan, who was appointed chief executive of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton (AGS) Airports Limited in December 2014
• Professor Alan Miller, who was elected by the Scottish Parliament to become the first chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission in 2007 and served until March 2016
• Anne Richards, chief executive at M&G and previously Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Global Chief Investment Officer at Aberdeen Asset Management
• Frances Ruane, who has been an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics of Trinity College since 1991
• Professor Andrew Scott,  Professor of European Union Studies: Dean International (Europe) at University of Edinburgh
• Grahame Smith, General Secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC)
• Alyn Smith, elected to the European Parliament for the first time in 2004
• Fabian Zuleeg, chief executive of the European Policy Centre