In an unprecedented offer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday proposed opening the door for Canada to become the first "associate member" of the European Union (EU).
In her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, von der Leyen said the EU and Canada would seek to upgrade their ties from the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) to an "Alliance for the Future", covering manufacturing, technology, defense, the Arctic, energy, critical minerals and artificial intelligence (AI).
Insisting it would not be a partnership against anyone else, she told Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who attended the address, that the EU hopes to elevate its relationship with Canada to the highest level possible.
The State of the Union address sets out the Commission president's priorities for the EU for the coming year and is the centerpiece of the European Parliament's four-day plenary session, which opened Monday.
On the same day, the Canadian Prime Minister's Office released a statement welcoming the European Union's proposal, saying that Canada seeks to deepen and expand its relationship with the EU. The statement described it as a unique and positive approach built on the shared strengths of Canada and Europe.
The Prime Minister's Office also mentioned a meeting between Carney and senior EU officials, during which the two sides discussed cooperation in areas including critical minerals, energy, defense and advanced technology, as well as strengthening strategic autonomy and sovereignty.
Earlier this week, Carney said that Canada will begin discussions with the EU on a "unique alliance" but ruled out seeking EU membership.
The collapse of Canada-U.S. trade talks in late August, U.S. President Donald Trump's imposition of a 50 percent tariff on some Canadian goods, and his repeated remarks about making Canada the 51st U.S. state have pushed Canada to seek closer economic and security ties with Europe.
The EU and Canada signed the CETA in Brussels in October 2016. Parts of the agreement have been provisionally applied since 2017, but its full entry into force requires approval by the parliaments of EU member states. Currently, 10 of the EU's 27 member states have still not ratified it, mainly over concerns that Canadian agricultural exports could harm local European industries.
Carney has been visiting Europe since Tuesday. He is expected to deliver a speech at the European Parliament and hold a press conference on Thursday.
Von der Leyen offers Canada EU associate membership
