What to know
- The EU briefly removed “associate member” from a draft statement ahead of the Canada-EU summit in Montreal after some member countries objected to the term.
- But, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen still supports making Canada an associate member.
- The partnership would expand Canada’s participation in EU programs, including Erasmus+ for education and training and Horizon Europe for research and innovation.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney said the label matters less than the practical benefits, including greater affordability and opportunities for young Canadians to live, travel and study in Europe.
Just one day after the European Union backed away from naming Canada as an “associate member,” its president has reversed her decision.
On Wednesday, POLITICO reported the controversial term had been dropped from a draft statement ahead of a milestone summit between Canada and the EU in Montreal. Instead, the document opted for a less defined term, calling the relationship “an ever closer association.”
The document was revised after EU-bloc member nations, including Germany and France, objected to the term, “associate member.”
But despite the EU member countries’ reluctance, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is still gung ho as ever on making Canada an “associate member.”
She reiterated her support of the term while introducing Canada’s involvement in Erasmus+ — the EU’s funding program for education, training, and sport for young people — and Horizon Europe, a funding program for research and innovation.
Read More
- ‘Discussions for unique alliance’: Mark Carney clarifies Canada’s relationship with the European Union, debunking rumours by Wall Street Journal
- Canada and Europe are ‘stronger together,’ Carney says after EU proposal
- ‘Students could probably use a win’: Students are hopeful Canada joins Erasmus+ European exchange program
“We are also working to strengthen Canada’s participation in the next generation of Horizon Europe, so that our most brilliant minds, researchers and scientists can collaborate and innovate together,” Leyen stated.
“We’re working together on skills and qualifications so that professionals can work more easily on both sides of the Atlantic. So that’s in a nutshell and much much more what [an] associate member is all about.”
At Thursday’s summit, she defined associate membership as, “association without accession.”
Speaking to reporters this week, Prime Minister Mark Carney said the label matters less than the benefits Canadians will receive from the partnership.
“What matters to Canadians ultimately from this new alliance is going to be affordability, it’s going to be opportunity,” Carney said.
“Opportunity for young Canadians, to live, travel, study. Opportunities for our researchers to plug into one of the most advanced research networks across a wide range of domains.”
