Montreal (Canada), 30 Oct. (LaPresse/AP) – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he expects negotiations with the European Union to conclude in June on an unprecedented partnership that would make Canada the bloc’s first associate member, despite the fact that this term – ‘associate member’ – was omitted from the joint declaration marking the launch of the Alliance for the Future, a new economic and security alliance between Brussels and Ottawa. Carney said he would attend a meeting of European leaders in June to finalise negotiations on the proposed arrangement, which would not entail Canada’s full membership of the EU. “At the same time, we are working to establish the closest possible partnership, short of full membership, with Canada becoming the European Union’s first associate member,” Carney said. The joint statement issued at the end of the two-day summit in Montreal makes no reference to associate member status. Instead, the leaders agreed to define a form of “ever closer association” at the next summit, scheduled for 2027.
EU, Carney: “We will conclude negotiations in June to make Canada the first associate member”
Montreal (Canada), 30 Oct. (LaPresse/AP) – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he expects negotiations with the European Union to conclude in June on an unprecedented partnership that would make Canada the bloc’s first associate member, despite the fact that this term – ‘associate member’ – was omitted from the joint declaration marking the launch of the Alliance for the Future, a new economic and security alliance between Brussels and Ottawa. Carney said he would attend a meeting of European leaders in June to finalise negotiations on the proposed arrangement, which would not entail Canada’s full membership of the EU. “At the same time, we are working to establish the closest possible partnership, short of full membership, with Canada becoming the European Union’s first associate member,” Carney said. The joint statement issued at the end of the two-day summit in Montreal makes no reference to associate member status. Instead, the leaders agreed to define a form of “ever closer association” at the next summit, scheduled for 2027.