In a striking overture from Strasbourg, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union is prepared to “open the door” for Canada to become its first associate member — a category that does not currently exist under the bloc’s treaties.
Speaking during her annual State of the European Union address to the European Parliament, Ms von der Leyen framed deeper alliances as both a choice and a necessity.
“Partnerships are a strategic choice for Europe. But they also respond to the fracture in the international rules-based system,” Ms von der Leyen said in her annual State of the European Union address in Strasbourg.
She argued that Europe and Canada share the same outlook on major issues and have repeatedly acted in concert.
“We see the world with the same eyes: from AI to climate change, from the Arctic to geopolitics. And we have stood together: on Ukraine, on defence, on raw materials and on supply chains. But above all … Europe and Canada believe in democracy.”
Addressing Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney — attending this week as a special guest of the Parliament and due to speak in the chamber tomorrow — Ms von der Leyen said the EU must “urgently re-imagine our partnerships” around the world.
Drawing applause, she told him: “dear Mark, I would like to work with you, on opening the door on Canada becoming the first associate member of the European Union”.
Mark Carney, pictured with Ursula von der Leyen and European Parliament President Robert Metsola (C), will address the European Parliament tomorrow
The idea had been hinted at earlier in the week when Mr Carney said he wanted a “unique alliance” with the EU, but Ms von der Leyen’s endorsement of an associate-member plan marks a notable escalation.
The EU has long been wary of creating flexible membership categories. Member states reacted coolly, for instance, when Germany in May proposed associate membership for Ukraine as a bridge to eventual accession.
Ms von der Leyen also offered a broader defence of democratic choice in a more contested global landscape.
Ms von der Leyen added “that power does not belong to the strongest, the richest or the loudest, but to all of us”, adding: “Democracies have the freedom to choose with whom to work”.
She said Canada and the EU would push cooperation across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, AI, critical minerals and energy.
“We will work on intelligent manufacturing. We will create a tech alliance. We will integrate defence industrial bases. We will make the Arctic a flagship joint project,” she said.
Mr Carney’s trip comes after a dramatic deterioration in Canada-US relations following last month’s collapse of trade talks, which triggered a round of tit-for-tat tariff measures.
In an apparent bid to avoid inflaming tensions with US President Donald Trump, Ms von der Leyen stressed that the proposed arrangement is not aimed at any third party.
Ms von der Leyen added in her speech that “this is a partnership not against anyone else” in a possible effort to avoid antagonising US President Donald Trump.
EU dealing with ‘openly hostile world’
Ms von der Leyen warned that Europe is navigating an increasingly confrontational environment.
The EU is dealing with “an openly hostile world”, the commission president said.
“A territorial war of aggression is raging on our continent; others have erupted nearby. A fight for industrial capacities is shaping global competition. And a battle of narratives is seeking to weaken confidence in Europe,” Ms von der Leyen said.
She used the moment to press the case for greater European independence, arguing that an EU able to act for itself is already taking shape amid the pressure of today’s geopolitical realities.
She said that in the “cold fragility of today’s world, only Europe can provide true sovereignty to Europeans”.
Ms von der Leyen also contended that Europe’s ability to protect itself has improved sharply, pointing not only to solidarity within the EU but also support for partners beyond it.
The commission president also said that Europe “is better able to defend itself than ever before” and “stands up for each other”, immediately referencing non-EU member state Ukraine, as well as Greenland.
MEPs heard of ‘attempts to drive a wedge’ between members states
At the same time, she said, the bloc faces efforts to undermine that unity.
Noting both what she said is a strengthening of EU unity and the real threats facing the bloc, Ms von der Leyen said there have been attempts to “drive a wedge between us, sometimes from the outside and too often from the inside”.
In her telling, Europe now confronts a stark decision about its future direction.
As such, she said the EU faces a “clear” choice: “Do we want a strong and independent Europe that stands up for its values in this world? Or do we want to rally around our European idea that together we can decide our own destiny? Or do we let our democracies be undermined by the proxies and puppets of authoritarians?
“Whether it is the ultra-nationalists or the anti-Europeans, whether it is Russian interference or disinformation. The names may be different, but their goal is the same. They despise our values, and they want to shatter our European unity. So let’s not only fight back against that, but let’s fight together for our European idea.”
‘Really positive development’, says Harris
Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris welcomed the invitation to Canada as a “really, really positive development”.
Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris has described the move to invite Canada to become the EU’s first associate member as “a really, really positive development”.
Speaking in Strasbourg after Ms von der Leyen’s address, Mr Harris said that while some countries are choosing to turn inward, Europe and Canada were signalling the opposite direction.
Mr Harris, who was speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, following Ms von der Leyen’s address, said at times when other countries are deciding to look inwards, “Canada and the European Union want to look outwards”.
He said closer cooperation among countries that share values is vital as global challenges multiply.
“I think multilateralism is a really good thing, and at a time when there are so many global challenges and so many issues of shared concern, countries and parts of the world that share values should be working more closely together,” he said.
Asked whether he feared retaliation from US President Donald Trump, Mr Harris said he did not.
Asked if he had any worries about any retaliation from the US President Donald Trump, Mr Harris said he did not have any such concerns.
“As President von der Leyen said, this is not a thing that should in any way offend or upset anybody else.
“This is a positive decision that we’re making as Europeans and indeed they as Canadians, to want to work more closely together,” he said.
Mr Harris said he has invited the Canadian Finance Minister to Dublin later this week to attend in a guest capacity an informal meeting of EcoFin, the RU’s Economic and Financial Affairs Council.
On whether he would support a comparable step for the UK, Mr Harris said Ireland has consistently favoured the closest possible ties between London and Brussels.
Asked if he would welcome a similar move by the UK, Mr Harris said the Irish position is always that “we want to see as close as possible a relationship between the UK and the European Union”.
“That’s good for Europe. It’s good for Ireland,” he said.
He added that he has also invited the Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Healy, to the EcoFin meeting.
He said he has also invited the Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Healy, to attend the EcoFin meeting.
Mr Harris said the UK government has indicated it wants a closer relationship with Europe, and that Ireland would back that effort once the British side sets out what it entails.
“I think the British government has been clear that they want to have a closer relationship with Europe. It’s for them in the first instance to outline what that looks like. But Ireland will always be supportive of a close relationship between the UK and the EU, and we believe it’s in everybody’s interest,” he said.
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”Strongest-ever support to Ukraine’
Ms von der Leyen also used the address to underline continued backing for Kyiv, promising what she called the EU’s “strongest-ever support to Ukraine” as winter approaches — which she said will be the hardest of the war sparked by Russia’s invasion.
Ms von der Leyen pledged that the EU would give its “strongest-ever support to Ukraine” over the forthcoming winter, which she said would be the toughest of the war triggered by Russia’s invasion.
She said the EU and partners would step up humanitarian support while helping Ukraine secure power and heating supplies.
“Together with our partners, we will provide humanitarian aid and reinforce Ukraine’s supplies of power and heating,” she said.
“Second, we will strengthen Ukraine’s air defences.”
Ms von der Leyen said the rapid delivery of US Patriot interceptor missiles is urgent, but argued Europe must also cut reliance on any single source by working with Ukraine on a new system.
She said US Patriot interceptor missiles needed to be delivered urgently but “we must also jointly reduce our dependence on a single supplier” by developing with Ukraine “an affordable, modular missile-defence system”, with Ukraine’s Freyja project at its heart.
Clear fiscal choices needed
Turning to the economy, Ms von der Leyen said Europe has weathered the impact of the Middle East wars “better than expected” and that unemployment is “at near-record lows”. Still, she said, higher energy prices and borrowing costs are increasingly being felt by households and companies.
Ms von der Leyen said the European economy has withstood the impact of the Middle East wars “better than expected” and unemployment is “at near-record lows”, but said the pressures from higher energy prices and borrowing costs are “biting for people and for business”.
She argued that governments will need to make difficult but deliberate budget decisions to safeguard public finances without choking off investment, insisting that reviving growth is the Commission’s top priority.
“Clear fiscal choices will have to be made to ensure fiscal sustainability, while protecting investment. So, kickstarting Europe’s economy is our number one priority.”
Ms von der Leyen said an historic revamp of the Single Market remains within reach — and should be finished by the end of next year.
She said an historic overhaul of the Single Market “can and must” be completed by the end of next year.
On energy, she warned that Europe’s industrial strength is at risk if power costs remain structurally high.
Raising the energy crisis, Ms von der Leyen said the EU “cannot remain an industrial powerhouse if its energy prices are structurally too high”.
She pointed to the Strait of Hormuz crisis as a harsh reminder of the price of reliance on imported fossil fuels, saying it has cost the EU an “additional €90 billion” since the crisis began. She said the bloc must push ahead with “renewables and nuclear” to bolster economic independence.
She said the Strait of Hormuz crisis has meant the EU has “bitterly felt the cost of our general dependence on imported fossil fuels”, saying the crisis has cost the bloc “an additional €90 billion” since it began and that the EU needs to focus on “renewables and nuclear” to gain economic independence.
Ms von der Leyen also said Europe’s trade imbalance with China has “reached a tipping point”, and that the EU is in talks with Beijing aimed at rebalancing trade.
President von der Leyen said Europe’s trade deficit with China has “reached a tipping point” and that Europe is engaged in a dialogue with China to rebalance trade.
She announced plans for a new European Corporation on Critical Raw Materials, intended to help the EU secure and stockpile key inputs needed for sectors ranging from electric vehicles and semiconductors to batteries, clean technology and defence.
She said a new European Corporation on Critical Raw Materials will be established, which will help Europe “obtain and stockpile what we need”… for electric cars, chips and batteries, clean tech and defence. And so much more.
“Not only our industry depends on this. But also our independence and security”, she added.
