EU Drops 'Associate Member' Label for Canada Before Summit

The European Union removed the phrase 'associate member' from the draft declaration of the Canada-EU summit on Thursday. The change follows reports from dpa and Reuters that the terminology caused friction among the 27 member states. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hosted the summit in Montreal, which began later that day.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other leaders pushed to delete the specific label from the text. The revised statement now calls for an 'ever closer association' between the two entities. This shift removes the idea of Canada becoming the first non-European nation to hold that specific status within the bloc.

The new joint declaration outlines concrete steps for economic integration. It includes a plan to build new subsea cable infrastructure to connect Europe, Canada, and Asia. The document also proposes a joint feasibility study regarding exports of Canadian liquefied natural gas to Europe.

Additional measures in the statement aim to facilitate labor mobility. The text supports initiatives that allow young Canadians and Europeans to work across the Atlantic. These provisions are designed to deepen the existing trade relationship between the two partners.

Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters on Tuesday that the summit would launch formal negotiations. He noted that the process would take another year to complete. Carney emphasized that the specific name of the relationship matters less than the impact on citizens. 'What matters is the difference it will make to the lives of Canadians,' he said.

The summit takes place as both sides seek to reduce reliance on the United States under President Donald Trump. The EU is Canada's second-largest trading partner, while the US remains the largest. Relations with Washington have been strained by recent tariffs imposed on Canadian goods. Carney's strategy to pivot toward Europe aims to mitigate this economic dependence.

US President Donald Trump previously described the associate membership proposal as 'laughable.' He warned that if he viewed the move as a 'hostile act,' the US might stop trading with Europe on many things. The removal of the title may serve to ease tensions as trade talks between Ottawa and Washington continue.