Canada and EU association: Are there other arrangements?
While Canada may be some distance from Europe geographically, closer political ties are in the cards. With talk of an associate membership, DW takes a look at other arrangements the EU has with particular countries.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggested on Thursday that Canada could become the EU's first associate member. This idea came about as both parties sought an effective means of dealing with Donald Trump's tariffs. However, the concept of associate membership does not yet exist, making it difficult to ascertain the exact implications.
Germany had proposed a similar arrangement for Ukraine earlier this year, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the idea, stating that Ukraine desired full membership.
Currently, there are various countries that have strong ties or agreements with the EU, though they are not officially recognized as associates. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, such as Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, are part of the EU's internal market, allowing for free movement of people, goods, and services within the Schengen area.
They also adhere to numerous EU rules in areas like tourism, environment, and education, but do not participate in decision-making processes or the customs union. They are not required to use the Euro or follow the EU's common trade policy or justice laws.
Iceland, which borders four EU member states, held a referendum on whether to pursue full membership, but the government's push to do so failed, and Iceland remains an EFTA country. Switzerland, despite sharing a border with four EU member states, has never been a full member. Instead, it has established over 120 bilateral deals with the EU over the past five decades, covering areas such as trade, transport, security, and education.
Switzerland's citizens living in the EU and vice versa, as well as its participation in EU programs and research projects, are facilitated through these bilateral agreements.
Following the UK's decision to leave the EU in 2016, the two parties signed a trade and cooperation agreement, limiting the UK's access to the EU market and aligning it on certain policy and regulatory aspects. The UK is no longer part of the single market or customs union. Meanwhile, the EU has not admitted a new member state since Croatia in 2013, and several Western Balkan countries are aspiring to join the bloc by fulfilling criteria under the EU's stabilization and association process.
These countries must apply for membership, undergo negotiations, and eventually sign and ratify an accession treaty to become an EU member.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
