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The European Union could open the door to a new form of membership for Canada, potentially making it the first country to become an associate member of the bloc.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backed the idea during her State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, saying she wanted to work towards creating a closer relationship with Ottawa.
The proposal comes as Canada seeks stronger ties with Europe while its relationship with the United States has become increasingly strained over trade and security.
Canada could break new ground
Von der Leyen did not set out a formal model for Canadian associate membership, and such a status does not currently exist within the EU. Creating it would therefore require agreement among member states and could take years.
Still, she made clear that Canada is being considered for a relationship that would go beyond a conventional partnership.
"Europe and Canada see the world with the same eyes," she told MEPs, pointing to cooperation on artificial intelligence, climate policy and geopolitics, as well as support for Ukraine, defence, raw materials and supply chains.
She identified manufacturing, technology, AI, defence, energy, critical minerals and economic security as areas where closer cooperation could be developed.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was present in the European Parliament for the speech, has previously called for a "unique alliance" between Canada and the EU. He is due to address MEPs on Thursday.
Von der Leyen said any closer relationship with Canada would not be designed to confront another country, saying partnerships were a "strategic choice for Europe" at a time when the international rules-based system was under strain.
Relations with Washington set the backdrop
The proposal comes against a difficult period in Canada-US relations.
Trade negotiations between Ottawa and Washington broke down last month, followed by additional US tariffs. US President Donald Trump has also repeatedly suggested that Canada could become the 51st US state, further aggravating relations between the neighbouring countries.
European governments have faced some of the same pressures from Washington, particularly over tariffs and questions surrounding European defence.
Trump has also threatened to take control of Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, adding another point of tension between the US and European governments.
For Canada and the EU, closer cooperation could therefore offer a way to strengthen existing economic and security links without creating a formal path towards full EU membership.
No ready-made membership category
Associate membership would be a new concept for the EU. The bloc currently has 27 full members, while several countries are pursuing accession through the established process for full membership.
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia are among the Western Balkan countries seeking eventual membership, while Georgia and Moldova are also candidates for EU accession.
Earlier this year, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested that Ukraine could potentially be given an associate membership status, although the idea received a mixed response.
Canada's case would be different, with the proposed relationship centred on strategic and economic cooperation rather than eventual full accession.
There are also existing links between Canada and the EU that could provide a foundation for further cooperation. However, 10 of the EU's 27 member states have yet to ratify the bloc's free-trade agreement with Canada, which was negotiated almost a decade ago.
Some EU capitals may therefore prefer to strengthen existing trade and defence arrangements rather than create an entirely new category of membership.
The Canadian proposal was part of a much larger set of priorities presented by von der Leyen, including plans for a European Security Council involving countries such as Canada, the UK and Ukraine, alongside measures covering AI, business regulation, social media use by children and migration.
For Canada, however, the most significant element of Wednesday's address was the possibility of becoming the EU's first associate member, a status that would have to be created before Ottawa could take up the unprecedented position.
