EU proposes associate membership path for Canada as trade tensions rise
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the bloc wants to open the door for Canada to become its first associate member, but no formal agreement or timetable has been disclosed.
The European Union wants to open the door for Canada to become its first “associate member”, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday, signalling a proposed deepening of economic and political ties.
The statement comes as trade tensions involving the United States intensify. Canada and the EU are already established economic and political partners.
The available material does not say that the EU has issued a formal invitation or legal proposal. It also does not set out what associate membership would involve.
Canada has not been reported as having accepted the proposal, and the arrangement should not be treated as EU membership or an agreed status.
No timetable was provided for the proposal. The source also does not establish the precise relationship between the associate-membership idea and the trade tensions involving the US.
