EU Removes Canada Associate Member Label From Draft Summit Statement

European Union leaders removed the designation of Canada as an associate member from the draft statement ahead of their summit in Montreal. The change resolves a split among member states over how to formally classify the relationship with Ottawa.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other national leaders pushed to drop the terms associate member and associated membership from the document. They cited the need to unify the bloc’s position before the summit begins. The final text now calls for an ever closer association between the two entities.

The summit, hosted by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, is scheduled to open later on Thursday. European officials plan to make the joint statement public on Friday. The meeting aims to formalize a new path for cooperation following months of diplomatic maneuvering.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen first proposed the associate member status in September. She framed the idea as a way for both sides to pivot away from the United States under President Donald Trump. The proposal quickly became a point of contention within EU negotiations.

The revised statement includes specific initiatives to deepen practical ties. It proposes a joint feasibility study on Canadian liquefied natural gas exports to Europe. It also outlines plans for new subsea cable infrastructure linking Europe, Canada, and Asia. The text further supports a program enabling young Canadians and Europeans to work across the Atlantic.

Carney has prioritized closer ties with the EU, Canada’s second-largest trading partner, to offset reliance on Washington. Trade relations with the United States have been strained by tariffs imposed by Trump. The Canadian leader told reporters on Tuesday that the summit would launch formal negotiations expected to last another year.

Trump previously criticized the EU’s initial proposal, calling it laughable. He warned that if he viewed the move as a hostile act, the US might stop trading with Europe on many things. Carney responded to the shift in terminology by stating that the specific names or nomenclature do not matter, emphasizing instead the difference the deal will make to the lives of Canadians.