EU and Canada Drop 'Associate Member' Title in Draft Deal
Leaders agreed to remove the contentious term from a summit statement while retaining plans for a year of formal talks on trade and infrastructure.
By Meera Fletcher ·
The European Union and Canada have removed the designation of 'associate member' from a joint draft statement, ending a debate that divided bloc leaders ahead of a summit in Montreal.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen first proposed that Canada become the EU's first associate member in September. The idea emerged as both sides sought to strengthen their economic and security ties while pivoting away from the United States under President Donald Trump. However, the concept proved difficult to sell within the 27-nation bloc. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other member state leaders pushed to strip the specific terminology from the text, according to diplomats cited by Reuters and dpa. The change was confirmed in reports on Thursday, just before the summit opened with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hosting the event.
The revised draft now calls for an 'ever closer association' between the two partners. It outlines a joint initiative to improve connectivity between Europe, Canada, and Asia through new subsea cable infrastructure. The statement also proposes a feasibility study on exporting Canadian liquefied natural gas to Europe and measures to allow young workers from both sides of the Atlantic to work across the ocean. Carney framed the upcoming year of formal negotiations as a way to reduce Canada's reliance on the US, which has been Canada's largest trading partner until recent tariff disputes. The EU remains Canada's second-largest trading partner.
The removal of the title may ease tensions with Washington, where Trump had previously called the associate membership idea 'laughable.' The US President warned that if he viewed the move as a 'hostile act,' the US might stop trading with Europe on many items. Trade talks between Ottawa and Washington are currently ongoing. Carney told reporters on Tuesday that the summit marks the start of a one-year negotiation process. He stated, 'The good news is it doesn't matter about specific names or nomenclature. What matters is the difference it will make to the lives of Canadians.' The full statement is scheduled to be made public on Friday.
Source: Al Jazeera
