On Wednesday, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, declared that Canada has been asked to join the EU as its first “associate member.” In the middle of a trade war with the United States, she madethe announcement during her 2026 State of the Union speech in Strasbourg, which was attended by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carneyin addition to MEPs.
Although full EU membership is not an option because Canada is not a European state, the Canadians have been actively pressing for stronger ties with the Europeans since late August. Von der Leyen encouraged the nation to jointhe EU as “the first associate member” during her speech to the MEPs on Wednesday.
Following Carney’s remarks last week about forming a “unique alliance” with the EU, expectations were high. Although Canada is not geographically a part of Europe, it has the same principles asthe EU, including democracy, human rights, andthe rule of law, all of which are prerequisites for membership.
For nations without full membership, there are currently a number of choices. For Example, Norway is a member of the EU’s single market, which allows for the unrestricted flow of capital, people, products, and services. Additionally, Oslo and Brussels work together on cooperative defense projects.
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