EU and Canada drop ‘associate member’ wording while pursuing closer ties
publishers 17articles 20first reported 28 Oct, 14:59 UTCdeveloping since 28 Oct · 4 editions
Canada and the European Union have removed the term “associate member” from a planned summit declaration after several EU governments objected to the undefined status, according to multiple reports.
A revised declaration for the two-day EU-Canada summit in Montreal instead calls for an “ever closer association” short of full EU membership. The two sides are expected to work toward defining the arrangement by their 2027 summit, with cooperation focused on areas including trade, investment, critical raw materials, medicines and technology.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed associate membership for Canada in September. The idea met resistance because EU treaties do not provide for such a status and member governments had not agreed on what rights it would confer. Germany, France and Italy were among the countries that raised concerns, Deutsche Welle reported. Germany also argued that the term should be reserved for countries that could eventually seek full EU membership, such as Ukraine.
Despite the revised wording, von der Leyen continued to advocate close alignment with Canada at the Montreal summit, describing the concept as “association without accession.” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney played down the terminology dispute, saying the practical benefits of deeper cooperation mattered more than the label.
The revised declaration was approved by EU member states on Wednesday and was expected to be published Friday at the summit’s conclusion.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 3 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 24 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 17
- Source articles
- 20
- Given to the writer
- 8, 3 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 24 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
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- passed
- Human review
- none
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