Mark Carney puts deadline on EU ‘associate membership’ push
Canadian prime minister backs “the deepest possible partnership” with the bloc, but questions over its cost and differences on trade remain.
Canada has embraced the European Union's offer of "associate membership" following a two-day summit. Prime Minister Mark Carney's endorsement of the proposal, which was presented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa, came after weeks of hesitation and pushback from various quarters.
Carney described the new form of membership as the "deepest possible partnership short of accession" during a press conference at the Port of Montreal. The EU and Canada have set a June 2027 deadline to determine the terms and boundaries of their relationship, which includes a payment schedule. Von der Leyen and Costa presented the experiment as a necessary survival strategy for the EU in an increasingly dangerous world.
Despite the positive rhetoric, some trade disputes remain unresolved, including a carveout from an anti-deforestation law and Canada's eligibility for "Made in Europe" status under the EU's Industrial Accelerator Act. The summit was marked by chaos, with agenda details confirmed at short notice and bilateral meetings divided between two locations.
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