EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'
Canada is seeking closer ties with EU after a breakdown in relations with the US and its president Donald Trump.
EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'
The president of the European Commission has endorsed proposals for Canada to become the EU's first "associate member".
Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament on Wednesday that she wanted to work on "opening the door" for Canada, which would mean closer cooperation across several key sectors.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney last week spoke about pursuing a "unique alliance" with the EU, as he faces strained relations with the US and Donald Trump.
Without naming the US president, von der Leyen said offering Canada some form of EU membership was "not a partnership against anyone else, but for our common strength."
She added: "Partnerships are a strategic choice for Europe. But they also respond to the fracture in the international rules-based system".
Carney attended the annual keynote speech in Strasbourg and is set to address the parliament on Thursday.
Trade talks between Canada and the US broke down last month, triggering a wave of new tariff measures.
Von der Leyen said in the EU's State of the Union address that the bloc and Canada "see the world with the same eyes", including on issues ranging from AI to climate change and 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 also named energy, critical minerals, batteries, AI, cyber and economic security as additional areas of cooperation.
The proposal comes as EU members have also been hit by trade tariffs under Trump's administration.
Von der Leyen also suggested creating a European Security Council, which would include the UK and Ukraine, amid an ongoing threat to the continent from Russia.
"For a long time, we have discussed a leaders' format focused on the security of our continent, with partners like Canada, Norway, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and others involved," she said in the wide-ranging speech.
"This is even more urgent now, given the nature and scale of the risks at play. This is why we will set out our ideas to make a European Security Council a reality."