Europe Today: Canada welcomes EU's 'associate member' offer, but what next?

Canada has welcomed the European Union's offer to grant it associate member status, according to Mark Carney, who expressed his welcome for "much closer ties" with Europe during a speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The EU finance ministers and central bank governors are currently in Dublin for a two-day summit as part of Ireland's turn as the EU presidency.

Simon Harris, Ireland's Minister for Finance, joined Euronews to discuss the discussions and decisions being made during the summit. Meanwhile, Andrew Caruana Galizia, Head of Europe and Eurasia at the World Economic Forum, spoke about a new WEF study highlighting how high energy costs are negatively impacting European competitiveness, two years after a report on reviving the EU economy.

The EU has also unveiled a new Kids Act, which aims to ban social media accounts for individuals under the age of 13 and prevent AI chatbots from acting as "human friends" to children. Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, Director General at the tech lobby DIGITALEUROPE, commented on the proposed EU Kids Act, expressing concerns over the restrictions on social media access for children under 15.

As the EU continues to adapt to new challenges and opportunities, Euronews will provide coverage and analysis of the day's key events and stories shaping the European Union and beyond, through its TV broadcasts, website, and digital platforms, every weekday at 8 am Brussels time.