European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed on Wednesday making Canada the European Union’s first associate member, seeking to deepen trade and economic security cooperation beyond the existing bilateral free trade agreement known as Ceta.
Deepening bilateral ties
Addressing the European Parliament during her annual state of the European Union address, von der Leyen said she wanted to open the door for Canada to take up the novel associate status, arguing that the relationship should reach the highest level possible.
Canada faces US tariffs. The trade tensions and rhetoric in Washington, including remarks about making Canada the 51st US state, have pushed Ottawa to diversify its overseas commercial ties away from reliance on its southern neighbor.
Democratic cooperation
Addressing Mark Carney, who is scheduled to speak to the European Parliament on Thursday, von der Leyen noted that the outreach reflects shared democratic values rather than hostility toward external powers. Carney addresses lawmakers on Thursday.
She stressed that power belongs across democratic societies rather than to the strongest, the richest or the loudest, emphasizing that democracies maintain the freedom to choose their partners while working together to reinforce joint supply chain security and industrial alignment.
Source: European Commission
