EU-Canada summit: Canada will not become an “associated EU member” for the time being

EU-Canada summit An alliance that is fighting for its name As of: October 29, 2026 • 7:20 a.m

Chancellor Merz and other EU heads of government have weakened EU Commission President von der Leyen's Canada plans - shortly before the EU-Canada summit that begins today. There is no longer any talk of “associated membership”.

"Associated Partnership", "Strategic Partnership", "Alliance for the Future" - Brussels is finding it difficult to give a name to the future status of its relationship with Canada. But one thing is certain: something special is about to happen, something big, and that's why, according to an EU diplomat, "this is probably the most important summit the EU has ever held."

The expectations are high, as is the European delegation. Six EU commissioners, various company bosses, Council President António Costa and EU boss Ursula von der Leyen are taking part in the two-day EU-Canada summit in Montreal.

It was Commission President von der Leyen who gave special status to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney when she said in her annual State of the Union address: "Mark, I want to work with you to ensure that Canada becomes the first associated member of the European Union."

The head of the EU Commission outlined priorities in her speech - including a closer partnership with Canada. more

In Berlin, people probably thought they had misheard: “Associated membership,” which Chancellor Merz had just offered to Ukraine. A multi-stage process, at the end of which there should be full membership, a completely different status than for Canada. Germany therefore initially blocked the planned summit declaration.

The terms "associate membership" and "associate member" have been deleted from the draft. Now there is talk of an “Alliance for the Future”.

Canada and the EU want to work together even more - but how exactly is still unclear. more

For Tinatin Akhvlediani, enlargement expert at the CEPS think tank in Brussels, the deeper relationship with Canada could nevertheless become an "interesting framework for other like-minded countries." In any case, the new partnership should be based on three pillars. Economy, security and joint work in international institutions such as the UN.

The economic connections are already close. The CETA free trade agreement between the EU and Canada has existed for ten years. This means that almost all tariffs have been abolished. Although it has not yet been finally adopted by all countries, trade between the EU and Canada has almost doubled in these ten years. One could say that Canada needs the EU more economically than the other way around.

Canada sells its goods primarily to the USA. Since US President Donald Trump hit the country with tariffs, exports to Europe have become increasingly important. And ten times more consumers live in the EU than in huge Canada. But Europe also wants more - rare earths, for example.

Trade is already going well. We answer why that is the case. more

So while Europe sits a little higher on the economic ladder, the security situation is almost on par. Canada is also a member of NATO. It is the only non-EU member that can claim loans for its defense from the EU SAFE program and the country is committed to supporting Ukraine.

At a time when it is becoming increasingly difficult for EU members to support the country under attack, Canada would be a welcome helper. Money, weapons, intelligence work - any support is welcome. “Whenever gaps arise, Canada is there to close them,” says foreign policy expert Akhvlediani. In Brussels it is emphasized that Canada is also present in regions that will become increasingly important in the future, the Arctic for example.

The third pillar is probably the most stable because it pits two like-minded partners against each other who have the same views on human rights, climate change and international organizations or, as Commission President von der Leyen summarized it: "Canada and the EU believe in democracy", which belongs to everyone and not just the "loudest and richest".

So could Canada still become a member of the EU? Article 49, which regulates accession, states: "The applicant country must be a European state." But what does that mean? From the point of view of enlargement expert Akhvlediani, this has never been examined in detail.

This topic in the program: tagesschau.de | New dream team? EU has high hopes for Canada summit | Oct 29, 2026 | 06:01 Uhrtagesschau.de | EU-Canada summit in Montreal - No association, but increasingly closer ties | Oct 29, 2026 | 6:21 a.m