All smiles in Strasbourg but uncertainty clouds Canada’s EU membership plan

Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a warm speech to the European Parliament recently, suggesting Canada could become the EU's first associate member. Although geographically outside Europe, Carney emphasized that the idea would not create a third superpower or a bloc against others. Instead, he argued that like-minded nations joining forces could address capability gaps, build strength, and ensure national sovereignty in a turbulent world.

Canada and the EU already have a far-reaching trade deal in place, called CETA. However, Carney urged for additional cooperation on energy, economic security, critical materials, education, technology, AI innovation, and defence. He noted that the EU and Canada are feeling squeezed by superpowers like the USA and China, as well as tech giants that seem to operate supranationally.

Carney stressed that associate EU membership would not be about forming a third superpower, but rather creating a new form of multilateral global governance. He suggested that countries should club together to shun isolationism and ensure their sovereignty. However, the EU's 27 member states would have to approve any deal, and there is no guarantee that Canada's associate membership would ever materialize.

The EU is actively seeking trade deals with various countries, including India, Indonesia, and Japan, to diversify its relationships. However, any potential associate membership for Canada would need to be carefully negotiated, with possible conflicts of interest, such as steel tariffs, to consider. Some EU officials, like France's government, are wary of associating too closely with non-members, fearing they could encourage voters to leave the bloc.