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Canada Could Become EU’s First Associate Member After Backing From European Commission President

Canada Could Become EU’s First Associate Member After Backing From European Commission President
International

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyer showed support for a unique Canada-EU partnership at the annual State of the Union debate on Wednesday 16th September.

After stressing that the EU “must urgently reimagine [their] partnerships” in response to growing global uncertainty. Von der Leyer confirmed that she would support a plan to for “Canada to be the first associate member of the EU” while addressing the Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney.

This announcement caught the attention of United States President Donald Trump, who threatened to cut trade deals with the EU if the plan was accepted, despite von der Layer stating that the Canada-EU deal was not a “partnership against anyone else.”

Another key takeaway from Wednesday’s debate is von der Layer’s emphasis on Europe meeting its climate targets. She announced that new frameworks for climate insurance, heatwave plans, and water sustainability are in the works, and will be presented to the EU Parliament in the coming months.

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