The EU is contemplating Canada as its first associate member, according to Von Der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced that the European Union is considering Canada as its first associate member, as both sides look to strengthen their strategic partnership. The proposed arrangement would create a new kind of relationship with the bloc, since associate membership is not currently provided for in the EU’s treaties. Von der Leyen made the remarks during her annual State of the European Union address in Strasbourg, emphasizing the growing importance of closer cooperation between Europe and Canada. Stronger partnerships, she said, are becoming more essential as the international rules-based order comes under strain and geopolitical divisions deepen. She said the EU and Canada align on several major issues, including artificial intelligence, climate change, Arctic affairs, and wider geopolitical developments, and pointed to cooperation on support for Ukraine, defense, access to critical raw materials, and strengthening the resilience of supply chains. The relationship, she added, rests on shared democratic principles.