The European Union has proposed opening the way for Canada to become the bloc's first associate member, marking a potential new stage in relations between Brussels and Ottawa.
According to Report's European bureau in Strasbourg, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the proposal on September 16 during her annual State of the European Union address to the European Parliament, attended by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Reuters also reported the proposal, noting that associate membership is not currently defined in EU treaties.
"We must urgently rethink our partnerships and build global coalitions for our resilience and our democracies," von der Leyen said.
Addressing Carney, she proposed taking EU-Canada relations to a new level.
"I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to become the first associate member of the European Union," she said.
Von der Leyen said the EU and Canada intend to move beyond their existing Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) toward a broader partnership focused on economic and strategic cooperation. Areas of cooperation would include advanced manufacturing, technology, defense, energy, critical minerals, batteries, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, cybersecurity and economic security.
She also proposed making the Arctic a flagship joint project between the EU and Canada, stressing that the partnership was aimed at strengthening their common capabilities rather than targeting any other country.
The EU and Canada already cooperate closely on security and defense. Canada joined the EU's SAFE defense initiative in 2026, while the two sides signed a Security and Defence Partnership in 2025.
Von der Leyen said the EU and Canada were already working together on issues including Ukraine, defense, raw materials and supply chains. She also highlighted the growth in bilateral trade since the implementation of CETA.
The next EU-Canada summit is scheduled to take place on October 29-30 in Montreal.