Brussels tries to calm Trump over offer to make Canada an EU associate member

The European Commission made a surprising proposal on Thursday to elevate Canada to the status of the EU's first "associate member." This unexpected move drew immediate criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened to impose "very heavy tariffs" if the proposal were to proceed, accusing the European Commission of a "hostile act."

The Commission's chief Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the idea during her annual State of the Union speech in Strasbourg, emphasizing that it aimed to "urgently reimagine our partnerships" and "build global coalitions for our resilience and democracies." The Commission's deputy spokesperson, Olof Gill, clarified that the proposal was not intended to antagonize any nation but to strengthen collective strength.

Kathleen Van Brempt, the Belgian vice chair of the European Parliament's trade committee, responded robustly, stating that "Trump has no veto over our future" and that the EU would not be pressured into abandoning its cooperation. The move left the EU's major countries concerned, as it had no precedent and would require significant deliberation within the Council and the European Parliament.

French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot noted that the offer had not yet received approval from the member states, emphasizing that the goal was to foster ever-closer ties with Canada. Carney applauded von der Leyen's "opening the door to Canada becoming the EU's first associate member," while avoiding specifics on the process and keeping his remarks broad and optimistic, noting that Canadian support for stronger ties was overwhelmingly positive.