BRUSSELS: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday proposed opening the way for Canada to become the European Union’s first “associate member”, as the bloc seeks stronger ties with allies in “an openly hostile world”.
Her proposal received a standing ovation from EU lawmakers, after which von der Leyen walked over and embraced Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was attending the European Parliament to hear her annual State of the Union address.
Von der Leyen told lawmakers in Strasbourg that new partnerships were essential “in the cold fragility of today’s world.”
The 27-member bloc is dealing with war on its borders following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, the EU and Canada are facing growing trade and geopolitical competition from the administration of US President Donald Trump and an increasingly assertive China.
“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,” von der Leyen said.
She said the EU and Canada “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.”
The decision on whether the proposal moves forward rests with EU member states rather than von der Leyen alone.