2013, Martin was voted MEP of the year in the international trade category by The Parliament Magazine. Martin was the rapporteur for the UN Arms Trade Treaty, encouraging member states to ratify the treaty and pushing for the EU to lead strict global implementation of new rules for greater transparency and responsibility in the arms industry. Animal Welfare Martin is Honorary Vice-President of the Animal Welfare Intergroup, a cross-party group of MEPs striving for animal rights. He was instrumental in the 2009 Seal Regulation, which bans the sale of seal products in the European Union. It has been estimated by the Humane Society International that in Canada around 250,000 seals have been saved per year as a result of this ruling. This was reinforced by a landmark WTO ruling following a challenge to the EU legislation by the Norwegian and Canadian governments. Scottish politics Following the Brexit vote of 23 June 2016, Martin was invited to join the First Minister's Standing Council on Europe, a cross-party body which offers advice to the Scottish government on how best to protect Scotland's relationship with the European Union. In contrast to England and Wales, Scotland voted firmly in favour of EU membership by 62% to 38%. In a video he explained, "she [First Minister Nicola Sturgeon] assured me this would be an all-party and no-party, a pro-independence and an anti-independence grouping, that there would be no bias one way or the other. Our job is simply to look at what would be best for Scotland in the new situation that we face". Citizens' Assembly Since losing his seat in 2019, Martin has been appointed as co-convener of the Citizens' Assembly of Scotland. He and Kate Wimpress, from a charity and arts background, took office as co-conveners on 6 August 2019. In July 2019, Joanna Cherry, Member of Parliament for Edinburgh South West, suggested the Assembly would be used to promote Scottish nationalism. Martin, a unionist, refused to endorse a boycott of the Assembly encouraged by Scotland in Union, the Scottish Conservatives and the Scottish Liberal Democrats. He insisted the running of the Assembly would be impartial and expressed his disappointment at the going ahead of the boycott. Personal life Martin is married to Lorraine Davidson, with two children; he also has two children from a previous marriage to his first wife Margaret. References External links Profile at European Parliament website Facebook page Twitter