Brussels [Belgium], September 16 : European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday invited Canada to become the European Union's first "associate member", signalling a push by Brussels and Ottawa to deepen economic and strategic ties amid growing uncertainty in transatlantic trade relations.
"I invite Canada to be the first associate member of the EU," von der Leyen said during her State of the Union speech here.
Canada is not eligible for full EU membership under the bloc's treaties, which restrict membership to European states.
Against that backdrop, the proposal for an "associate member" represents a possible new framework for closer cooperation between Canada and the 27-member bloc.
Von der Leyen also proposed moving beyond the existing Canada-EU trade relationship towards a broader strategic partnership.
“We will move from CETA to an Alliance for the Future. To create a common prosperity and economic security space," she said.
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA, was agreed between Canada and the EU in 2016 and has been provisionally applied since 2017.
The agreement significantly reduces tariffs and provides a framework for expanding trade and investment between the two sides.
Under the proposed "Alliance for the Future", von der Leyen said cooperation could extend well beyond trade. She cited a possible "tech alliance" and a "defence industrial base", as well as an "Arctic joint project".
She also pointed to closer cooperation in strategic sectors, including energy, critical minerals and batteries, alongside emerging technologies and security issues such as AI, quantum technologies, cyber security and economic security.
The proposal comes as Canada and the EU seek to strengthen economic resilience amid heightened uncertainty in global trade, including recent tensions between Ottawa and Washington under US President Donald Trump's trade policies.
Canada has been particularly exposed to changes in US trade policy because of the depth of economic integration between the two North American economies.
The trade relationship has faced renewed strains as the Trump administration has pursued tariffs and threatened further measures affecting Canadian exports.
Against this backdrop, Ottawa has sought to diversify its international trade and economic partnerships, while European governments have also been looking to strengthen supply chains and reduce strategic vulnerabilities.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has advocated closer economic and security cooperation with the European Union. His presence in the European Parliament on Wednesday underscored the increasingly close political engagement between Ottawa and Brussels.
Carney also received a standing ovation in the European Parliament after European Parliament President Roberta Metsola introduced him as the guest of honour.
Carney is scheduled to address the European Parliament on Thursday morning.
The Canadian and European leaders are also due to meet later in October at a summit in Montreal, where issues including trade, defence, energy, critical minerals, technology and Arctic cooperation are expected to feature prominently.
The proposed associate-membership relationship would therefore come as part of a broader effort to build closer EU-Canada ties at a time when both sides are reassessing their economic and strategic partnerships amid shifting global trade dynamics.