Canada to become EU's first ‘Associate Member': Here's how it would work

Canada could become the first “associate member” of the European Union under an unusual proposal that would bring the country much closer to Europe without actually making it part of the 27-member bloc.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen floated the idea on Wednesday while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was visiting Strasbourg.

“I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada being the first associate member of the EU,” she told Carney.

But what does that actually mean?

There is no “associate member” status written into EU treaties. In fact, Canada cannot become a normal EU member because the bloc's rules say full membership is open to European states.

So Brussels and Ottawa would effectively have to design a new relationship from scratch.

The basic idea is to allow Canada to work much more closely with the EU in areas such as defence, artificial intelligence, energy, manufacturing and critical minerals.

Canada already has a free-trade agreement with the EU, known as CETA. Associate membership could go much further.

One possibility would be giving Canadian companies easier access to parts of Europe's Single Market.

If Canada wanted deeper access, it could have to follow certain EU rules and standards in those sectors. Unlike France, Germany or other full members, however, Canada would not automatically get a vote when those rules are made.

And Canadians shouldn't expect EU-style freedom of movement either. Nothing currently being discussed means Canadians would suddenly have the automatic right to live and work anywhere in the bloc.

The idea is still at a very early stage and would need the backing of all 27 EU countries.

Why is Canada interested?

Its relationship with its biggest trading partner, the United States, has deteriorated amid Donald Trump's tariffs and repeated threats against Canadian sovereignty.

Carney now wants Canada to rely less heavily on its southern neighbour and double its trade with countries outside the US over the next decade.

He has described what he wants with Europe as a “unique alliance.”