OMM Redaksiyası
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that she wanted to open the door for Canada to become the European Union’s (EU) first “associate member.”
She made the proposal as part of an initiative to build new ties between allies in a “world where there is clearly hostile behavior.” EU lawmakers applauded the proposal. Von der Leyen later embraced Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who had arrived at the European Parliament to hear her annual State of the Union address.
Speaking at a meeting in Strasbourg, von der Leyen said new partnerships were needed amid “the cold fragility of today’s world.” She did not explain what associate membership would specifically entail.
The 27-member EU is facing war on its borders amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Both the EU and Canada face intense competition in trade and other areas from the administration of US President Donald Trump and an increasingly assertive China.
“Europe and Canada see the world through the same lens: from artificial intelligence to climate change, from the Arctic to geopolitics. We have stood together on Ukraine, defense, raw materials and supply chains. But above all, Europe and Canada believe in democracy,” von der Leyen said.
Carney welcomed von der Leyen’s proposal as an initiative for a “stronger and more ambitious alliance” in the future. His office said Canada and Europe should secure their strategic autonomy through deeper cooperation across all areas of strategic capabilities. Carney did not, however, refer specifically to associate membership.
The proposal will not be decided by von der Leyen alone; EU member states will also have a say. The EU has historically approached flexible alliances without a formal legal status with caution. In May, EU members also responded cautiously to Germany’s proposal for associate membership for Ukraine as a transitional stage toward full membership.
Fabian Zuleeg, executive director of the European Policy Centre, said it would be difficult to expect significant economic gains for both sides. However, he emphasized that there were opportunities to stand together against Trump’s economic pressure and cooperate on economic security.
Carney is visiting Europe after Canada-US trade talks ended unsuccessfully last month, triggering reciprocal tariff measures. Amid Ottawa’s move away from its southern neighbor, the Canadian prime minister has pledged to double the country’s trade outside the United States over the next decade.
In her speech, von der Leyen said the EU and Canada would cooperate in various areas. According to her, the sides will work on smart manufacturing, a technology alliance, integrating defense-industrial bases and turning the Arctic into a joint project.
“This partnership is directed against no one,” the European Commission president added.
