Von der Leyen highlighted that trade between the EU and Canada has risen by 75 percent in less than a decade since the Canada‑EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was signed. The deal is already provisionally applied, but it is not fully ratified because ten EU member states – Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland and Slovenia – have yet to approve it in their national parliaments.

Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the proposal, calling for “a far stronger, more ambitious alliance” with the EU. He said the idea of an associate‑member relationship could take the partnership to a higher level.

A German government spokesperson told Reuters that, while Germany supports deeper integration with Canada, the label “associate member” should be “reconsidered”. The spokesperson noted that the term would have to be created especially for Canada and that its use is not yet settled among EU members.

The proposal is historic because the EU has never before created an associate‑member category for a non‑EU country. If the idea is accepted, it could reshape how Europe builds long‑term alliances with close partners such as Canada, adding new political and economic dimensions to the relationship.