Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, announced in her annual speech on Wednesday that she is calling for Canada to become the first "associate member" of the European Union. In this speech, attended by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, she said: "I want to work with you to open the door to making Canada the first associate member of the European Union."
New Agreement for the Future
Von der Leyen also announced a new initiative called the "Coalition for the Future," which is based on the existing trade agreement between the European Union and Canada. This agreement is designed to create "a shared space for economic prosperity and security." The CETA agreement, which was signed nine years ago, has still not been ratified by national and regional parliaments in 10 EU member countries.
Strengthening Relations Between Brussels and Ottawa
Von der Leyen's initiative comes as Brussels and Ottawa seek to strengthen their relations while facing a costly trade war with the United States. However, she emphasized that this new cooperation is "not against anyone else." These statements reflect Europe's desire to expand trade and political relations with Canada under current circumstances.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to speak at the European Parliament on Thursday. Additionally, Canada and the European Union will hold a meeting in Montreal at the end of October. Their goal is to reach an agreement on digital trade by the end of this year.
