European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union was opening the door to Canada becoming its first associate member, according to DW. Such a status does not currently exist and would have to be created by the bloc.
Von der Leyen made the remarks during her annual State of the European Union address at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was in attendance. The comments followed a Wall Street Journal report that Carney was exploring an “associate membership” with the EU.
Carney earlier said he was seeking a “unique alliance” with the bloc rather than membership, DW reported. Von der Leyen presented closer ties as part of a broader European response to what she described as a fractured international rules-based system. She said Europe and Canada viewed the world similarly on issues including artificial intelligence, climate change, the Arctic and geopolitics.
The commission president also cited cooperation between the EU and Canada on Ukraine, defense, raw materials and supply chains. The two sides, already closer amid conflicts and trade disputes, are seeking partnerships that can help them diversify their respective dependencies on China and the United States, according to DW.
Von der Leyen used the address to call for greater European independence in energy, raw materials and other sectors. She said the EU remained 80% dependent on China for many critical raw materials and announced plans for a new European corporation to obtain and stockpile supplies.
She also warned that the EU’s trade deficit with China had reached what she called a tipping point and said the bloc would use available tools to rebalance the relationship. In describing the wider challenges facing Europe, she cited Russia’s war against Ukraine, global industrial competition, climate change and artificial intelligence, while calling for a new heatwave plan and stronger European efforts in AI development.