Von der Leyen opens discussion on possible associate EU status for Canada
The proposal would offer closer ties without full membership, but Canada’s prime minister says Ottawa is seeking a “unique alliance” instead.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed opening discussions on Canada becoming the European Union’s first “associate member”, presenting an alternative to full membership.
Von der Leyen made the proposal on Wednesday as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended her annual State of the Union address in Strasbourg.
Carney has said Canada is seeking a “unique alliance” with the EU, while making clear that it does not want membership. The position places the proposal in the context of closer cooperation rather than Canadian accession to the bloc.
The European Commission has not set out the rights, obligations or legal framework that associate membership would involve. The supplied material also provides no formal decision, timetable or process for advancing the idea.
The proposal remains an opening for discussion, and it is not clear whether EU member states support it. Its implications for the EU’s relationship with the United States have not been established.
