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EU-Canada: a new perspective

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16.09.2026 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed Canada becoming the bloc’s first “associate member” Wednesday, a move aimed at shoring up their economies in the face of increasing trade tensions with the United States.

“In this new world we must urgently reimagine our partnerships and build global coalitions for our resilience and democracies,” Von der Leyen said amid ther State of the Union speech in the European Parliament, Strasbourg.

“I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to being the first associate member of the European Union,” she told Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was in attendance at her state of the union address in Strasbourg, France.

“In short, we want to bring the relationship with Canada to the highest level possible,” she said.

A survey conducted earlier this month by Canadian polling firm Abacus Data found about 80% of Canadians said Canada should deepen cooperation with the EU on foreign policy, defense, and economic priorities — a 6-point increase from when the question was last asked in February.

A further 56% of those surveyed said Canada has more in common with EU countries than with the US, according to the survey. Nearly half (49%) said they would support Canada joining the EU, with support higher among center and left-leaning voters.

However, some in Canada are skeptical of cozying up to the EU, fearing it could further isolate Canada from its southern neighbor and largest trading partner, while others are concerned about a loss of sovereignty.

Pierre Poilievre, the leader of Canada’s opposition Conservative Party, called Carney’s effort to deepen ties with the EU “out of touch,” in a post to X following the report.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed Canada becoming the bloc’s first “associate member” Wednesday, a move aimed at shoring up their economies in the face of increasing trade tensions with the United States.

“In this new world we must urgently reimagine our partnerships and build global coalitions for our resilience and democracies,” Von der Leyen said.

“I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to being the first associate member of the European Union,” she told Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was in attendance at her state of the union address in Strasbourg, France.

“In short, we want to bring the relationship with Canada to the highest level possible,” she said.

Canada is currently locked in a trade war with the United States, its largest trading partner, adding urgency to efforts to get closer to the the European Union. US President Donald Trump has also repeatedly called for Canada to become the 51st state in the US – an idea firmly rejected by Carney.

Carney received a standing ovation from European lawmakers and is due to address the European parliament Thursday, September 17.

In her speech, Von der Leyen highlighted plans to cooperate on intelligent manufacturing, technology, defense, cyber security and artificial intelligence. Canada and the European Union would also work on energy, critical minerals and batteries, she noted.

It is unclear what other elements associate membership might entail – or whether all EU member countries are supportive of the plans. Carney, for his part, is leaning into the relationship, saying before theip to Strasbourg that Canada was pursuing a “unique alliance with the European Union.”

Despite the backdrop, Von der Leyen stressed Wednesday that the decision to join forces with Canada was “not a partnership against anyone else,” though the EU has also been on the receiving end of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on allies over the past year.

Canada, a former British colony, shares deep cultural and historical ties to Europe and resembles European models when it comes to its parliamentary democracy, universal health care and social welfare, among other things.

Canada even shares a small land border with Europe, through Denmark on Hans Island, a small landmass off northwest Greenland.

But while Canada would likely satisfy the political, economic and legal standards for joining the bloc, there is one obvious barrier: it is not geographically in Europe.

To get into the EU, a country must follow a strict, multi-stage process called accession, and its candidacy must be unanimously approved by all 27 member states.

There is a lineup of countries waiting to get in, with nine countries currently recognized as candidates for EU membership.

Other European countries, such as Norway and Switzerland, are not formal EU members but partner with the bloc on trade and open borders. Their agreements could plausibly offer a blueprint for closer ties between the EU and Canada.

According to a Wall Street Journal report at the weekend, among the things European and Canadian officials have discussed: reducing trade barriers; laying underwater cables linking Europe and Canada; redirecting pipelines to grant Europe access to Canadian gas; building new AI and tech infrastructure; and even granting Canadians the right to live and work in Europe visa-free.

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