European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday, September 16, that Canada has been invited to become its first associate member, a new status within the EU about which details are unknown.

This is part of a search for new partnerships with Canada in key sectors, such as technology, critical raw materials, energy and defense, critical minerals, and AI, the EC President said during her 2026 State of the Union address in Strasbourg.

Von der Leyen told MEPs and international guests: “We share an ocean, a set of values, and a way of seeing the world. And now we are going to build our shared future as well,” referring to Canada and its offer of new status.

Canada is not part of the European Union, “but it shares the same values ​​as the EU, such as human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, essential criteria for becoming a member state.”

M.Pino

Source: euronews

(Reference image source: Guillaume Périgois on Unsplash)

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