The European Union is opening the door for Canada to become its first “associate member”, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday, signalling a significant shift in how the bloc approaches partnerships outside full membership.
The status of associate membership is not currently provided for in the EU’s treaties. Von der Leyen made the proposal during her annual State of the European Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
“I said we must urgently reimagine our partnerships. So, I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to be the first associate member of the EU,” she said.
Von der Leyen said closer cooperation would cover areas including manufacturing, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, energy and defence.
“We will work on intelligent manufacturing. We will create a tech alliance. We will integrate defence industrial bases. We will make the Arctic a flagship joint project,” she said.
She described the proposed relationship as part of a broader effort to strengthen partnerships as the international rules-based system faces growing pressure.
“Partnerships are a strategic choice for Europe. But they also respond to the fracture in the international rules-based system,” she said.
Von der Leyen said Canada and the EU shared common interests on issues ranging from AI and climate change to the Arctic and geopolitics, while pointing to their cooperation on Ukraine, defence, raw materials and supply chains.
“We see the world with the same eyes: from AI to climate change, from the Arctic to geopolitics. And we have stood together: on Ukraine, on defence, on raw materials and on supply chains. But above all…Europe and Canada believe in democracy,” she said.
The announcement comes as Canada seeks to deepen ties with Europe following a deterioration in its relationship with the United States.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said earlier this week that Canada was seeking a “unique alliance” with the EU rather than membership. Von der Leyen invited Carney to Strasbourg, where he is scheduled to deliver his own address on Thursday.
Carney’s European visit follows the breakdown of Canada-US trade talks last month, which triggered a series of retaliatory tariff measures between the two countries.
Von der Leyen stressed that the proposed partnership with Canada was not intended to target another country.
“This is a partnership not against anyone else,” she said.
Reuters
