In short
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backed proposals for Canada to become the EU’s first “associate member” in her State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday.
- US President Donald Trump called the plan “laughable” and said he would impose “very serious tariffs” or stop trading with Europe if he judged it a hostile act.
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended von der Leyen’s speech and is due to address the European Parliament on Thursday.
- “Associate membership” does not currently exist in EU rules, and ten of the bloc’s 27 member states have not ratified a free-trade agreement with Canada struck nearly a decade ago.
- Von der Leyen also proposed a European Security Council including the UK and Ukraine, and plans to ban social media for under-13s.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backed proposals for Canada to become the EU’s first “associate member” in her State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended the speech and is due to address the parliament on Thursday.
What did von der Leyen propose for Canada?
Von der Leyen said she wanted to work on “opening the door” for Canada, listing manufacturing, technology, artificial intelligence, defence, energy, critical minerals and economic security as areas for closer cooperation. She insisted the arrangement would not be a “partnership against anyone else” and did not mention US President Donald Trump by name.
The EU chief said the bloc and Canada “see the world with the same eyes”, adding that “Europe and Canada believe in democracy”. Carney said last week that he was seeking a “unique alliance” with the EU.
How has the United States responded?
Donald Trump called the proposal “laughable”. “If they do that, if I think it’s at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe, on many things,” the US president said, adding that “very heavy tariffs” on Europe were “a possibility”.
Trade talks between Canada and the United States collapsed last month, followed by a series of new tariff measures. Trump has repeatedly spoken of making Canada a “51st state”, and European leaders have also faced his threat to annex Greenland, a sovereign territory of EU member Denmark.
Does EU “associate membership” exist?
No. Associate membership is not a category in EU rules, and the process, if agreed, could take years. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested earlier this year that Ukraine could be granted the status, to a mixed reaction.
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia are already on the long road to full EU membership, while Georgia and Moldova are applying. Ten of the EU’s 27 members have yet to ratify a free-trade agreement struck with Ottawa nearly a decade ago, and some capitals would prefer to build on existing defence and trade agreements rather than create a new form of membership for Canada.
What else did von der Leyen announce?
Von der Leyen proposed a European Security Council that would include the UK and Ukraine, saying: “This is why we will set out our ideas to make a European Security Council a reality.” She said a core function would be an emergency meeting if a member felt under threat, similar to Nato’s Article 4, describing it as a “mechanism to flank” that article.
She also proposed inviting the world’s largest AI laboratories to talks on supporting industry, an area where Trump has branded AI safety fears a “hoax”, and cuts to bureaucracy for EU businesses.
On children and technology, she put forward a ban on social media for under-13s, with 13 to 15-year-olds limited to accounts supervised by parents. A new emergency tool would help countries deal with mass migration movements, following the arrival of migrants at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in July.
Frequently asked questions
Is Canada becoming a member of the EU?
No decision has been taken. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she wanted to work on “opening the door” for Canada, but associate membership does not exist in EU rules and any process could take years.
What did Donald Trump say about Canada joining the EU as an associate member?
The US president called the plan “laughable” and said he would put “very serious tariffs” on Europe or stop trading with it if he considered the move a hostile act.
What is the European Security Council von der Leyen proposed?
It is a proposed leaders’ format on European security that would include Canada, Norway, Ukraine and the UK, with the ability to trigger an emergency meeting if a member felt under threat, similar to Nato’s Article 4.
What did von der Leyen propose on children and social media?
She put forward a ban on social media for under-13s, with 13 to 15-year-olds allowed only accounts supervised by parents.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. Globe World — Jo%E3o%20Silas / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)