Mark Carney has set June 2027 as the deadline to make Canada the European Union's first-ever "associate member". The category, which has no precedent, has been fiercely opposed by Germany.
Canada and the European Union aim to conclude negotiations on the country's potential "associate membership" of the bloc by June 2027, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Friday, following a bilateral summit in Montréal.
"We are working towards the deepest possible partnership short of accession, because of our geography, with Canada becoming the European Union's first associate member," Carney said at the closing press conference.
"In the coming months, we will determine the full substance, scale and scope of this new form of membership," he added.
António Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, represented the EU at the 21st EU-Canada summit, which took place in Montreal on 29 and 30 October 2026. Prime Minister Mark Carney represented Canada.
The summit marked a major milestone in EU-Canada relations, paving the way for an even broader and deeper political partnership. Leaders took stock of progress made since the previous EU-Canada summit and issued a joint statement launching an Alliance for the Future. Building on their longstanding strategic partnership, the alliance aims to deepen cooperation and create a common prosperity and economic security space.
