EU considering Canada as ‘associate member’ despite internal opposition
Deeper ties to Europe are part of PM Carney’s strategy to reduce reliance on the US amid strained relations under Trump
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday the EU and Canada continue to explore Canada becoming the union’s first “associate member”, a term so divisive among member countries that it does not appear in a joint declaration.
The European Union and Canada aim to deepen cooperation on AI, climate, energy and security, von der Leyen said in a speech at a Canada-EU summit in Montreal.
The associate member term, which Germany and several other EU countries oppose, has no legal meaning.