EU abandons proposal to give Canada 'associate member' status
Member-state disagreements led Brussels to replace the membership proposal with a pledge to deepen cooperation; a framework is due by the 2027 summit.
The European Union has abandoned the proposal to grant Canada an "associate member" status after divisions among member states, according to the joint declaration released at the Montreal summit.
Rather than moving toward an institutional role inside the EU, the declaration calls for deepening cooperation between the two sides without full membership of the Union.
How the proposal unfolded
The idea was put forward by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last month, but it encountered reservations from several European governments, including Germany. Diplomats involved in the discussions said that an associate-member status lacks a clear legal basis under current EU treaties and that it is not defined what rights Canada would hold within EU institutions.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been pressing for stronger economic and strategic ties with Europe, targeting cooperation in defence, energy, critical minerals and digital markets.
Both sides agreed to continue working on a concept for closer cooperation and to define it ahead of the next summit, scheduled for 2027, a move framed by trade frictions with the United States and Ottawa’s efforts to diversify its international partnerships.
Photo: press material from the event
