EU and Canada to deepen partnership, details of future arrangement undecided
Canada and the European Union will announce a broad set of cooperation measures within a year, while the exact legal form of the relationship remains under discussion.
Ottawa and Brussels plan to unveil a comprehensive partnership package within the next 12 months, though the precise nature of the future arrangement has not been finalized. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently suggested Canada could become the EU’s first associate member, a proposal that Canadian officials have downplayed.
Canada’s ambassador to the EU, Jonathan Wilkinson, said the announcement reflects mutual respect between the two sides and emphasized the importance of concrete initiatives that will boost prosperity and economic security. > “I’m not sure what you’re going to call it, but a much deeper and closer relationship.”
The two parties are identifying sectors for enhanced cooperation, including critical raw materials, artificial intelligence, research and innovation. Wilkinson indicated that several agreements are expected to be signed at the joint EU-Canada summit scheduled for October.
EU diplomats noted that the concept of associate membership has not been formally discussed with member states and that no legal framework for such a status exists in EU treaties. Two unnamed EU officials described the term as a branding tool for a partnership that would go beyond existing trade, research and defence accords.