France EU Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attends the State of the European Union address by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, left, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026.
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed making Canada the first "associate member" of the European Union. But associate membership does not exist. Still, no matter how vague, von der Leyen’s offer was a win for Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at a time when he is locked in a trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump. It also offers the EU a firm partnership with another Western democracy as its own ties with and trust in its old ally the United States fade. Now the two sides must define what “associate membership” is.