Strasbourg – The door is open, but certainly not unconditionally or without some internal reflection. “The precise nomenclature, the terms they use, is a question for the European Union,” said Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, answering a question about Canada’s potential EU associate membership after his speech at the European Parliament’s plenary session on 17 September.
For the ambitious partnership between Ottawa and Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen “used both terms,” Carney recalled. He referred to the State of the Union address delivered on 16 September, when von der Leyen spoke of moving beyond CETA towards an Alliance for the Future – opening the door to Canada becoming the European Union’s first associate member. “We welcome this ambition – polling shows an overwhelming majority of Canadians support much closer ties,” he confirmed in his speech the following day.
However, “Canada is not in a position or seeking to become a full member of the European Union,” Carney continued during a press conference with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola. “Therefore, it is a different framework that is relevant for countries that share deep bonds and the ambition for people.”
The Canadian prime minister made it clear that, beyond definitions and labels, “what is fundamental is substance – what we are actually building together, how we combine our strengths.” That was precisely the focus of his speech in front of MEPs.
This should be “deep cooperation across the full range of strategic capabilities” – including critical minerals, defence, AI, energy, space, education and trade. But most of all, it should be based on “the rule of law, freedom, solidarity, prosperity, sustainability,” Carney underlined. For sure it will not be “a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival – only with better manners. We do not seek power to dominate others,” he continued, with a subtle reference to the lack of confidence in Donald Trump‘s US administration. An alliance “strong enough so that no one can dictate our choices” – open enough that “others can join,” and principled enough that “our strength reinforces international law rather than replaces it.”
As Carney recalled, the process of defining this alliance will begin at the EU-Canada Summit in Montréal on 29–30 October. “We are going to drill down into the details and look at the topics that will be covered by the Alliance.” On behalf of the EU institutions, President Metsola urged that “we should not be scared of something new – Europe has never been scared of forging new paths and creating new frontiers.”
In any case, it must be noted that there is no “associate membership” enshrined in the Treaties, as only full EU membership is foreseen under Article 49 of the Treaty on the European Union. This means that, at present, there is no legal basis for such an option. Several EU sources told The New Union Post that the work would therefore have to start “from scratch,” with “concrete proposals” from the Commission needed to establish “where exactly they are based.”
The expression “associate membership” was first used by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in May 2026 as a possible way forward for Ukraine, acknowledging that the EU will not be able to complete Kyiv’s accession process any time soon. This would be a political solution, requiring no Treaty changes, but offering several benefits – participation in European Council and Council of the EU meetings without voting rights, as well as representation in the European Commission (without a portfolio or voting rights) and the European Parliament (without voting rights).
EU-Canada relations 2.0
Since the beginning of the second Trump administration, both Canada and the EU have been affected by the US president’s constant threats and unpredictability. Despite being their oldest and closest ally, the United States under Donald Trump can no longer be fully trusted, opening the door to a closer and stronger relationship between Brussels and Ottawa.
EU accession remains highly unlikely, as Canada is not a European state and there is currently no political will to pursue a broader interpretation of Article 49 of the Treaty on the European Union that would include the North American country. However, Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos suggested already in April 2026 “special partnership agreements” with a country that “does not want or cannot” become a member of the EU, but is “valuable to us.”
A survey published on 14 September 2026 found that 49% of Canadians believe their country should join the European Union, compared with 30% who believe it should not. Support rises to 80% when it comes to deepening strategic cooperation with the EU on foreign policy, defence and economic priorities.
As Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly, Professor of Public Policy and Jean Monnet Chair at the University of Victoria, told The New Union Post, the gradual shift towards closer alignment between Brussels and Ottawa has already begun, with the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement signed in 2016. “There are many countries that are closely aligned with the EU without being members,” he noted, urging policymakers to focus their efforts “on the many policy areas where cooperation on budgets and regulations is possible.”
Education, security and trade are among the areas where EU-Canada relations hold significant potential for growth. Yet it is political and policy cooperation that could move things faster and take them deeper. Canada has strengthened its institutional ties with the EU through regular meetings between its parliamentarians and senators, Members of the European Parliament and EU officials, as well as through its participation in the European Political Community summit in 2026. “Trump’s joke – which is no longer a joke – about Canada becoming the 51st US state has upset many Canadians,” Professor Brunet-Jailly remarked.
