Add StudioX as a preferred source on GooglePrime Minister Mark Carney has outlined a timeline that could see Canada sign a new partnership agreement with the European Union within seven months, if all goes well, according to Global News Canada.
Carney said Friday that Ottawa and Brussels are working toward the “deepest possible partnership short of accession.” He said it would make Canada “the European Union’s first associate member.”
Summit in Montreal and a joint statement
Carney and EU officials met in Montreal on Thursday and Friday. They agreed on a joint statement promoting what they called a “Canada-EU Alliance for the Future.”
The statement commits both sides to defining, by the 2027 EU-Canada Summit, the concept of an ever-closer association of Canada to the EU, short of full membership.
The 27-member bloc ultimately chose not to include the term “associate member” in the statement. Some countries, including Germany, have pushed back on the phrase. They see it as a stepping-stone to permanent membership for countries such as Ukraine.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen championed the idea in Strasbourg last month. On Friday, she said she believes in building a partnership with Canada that “comes closer to membership than anything we’ve done before.”
The road ahead
Carney said that in the coming months the two sides will meet to determine the full substance, scale and scope of the new form of membership. He will meet periodically with EU presidents to track progress.
Canada’s federal cabinet will meet in March with European cabinets in Canada. Carney will then attend the European Council meetings in June, where the aim is to conclude negotiations.
EU members would have to approve any resulting agreement. It would also be put to a vote in the House of Commons.
Carney has said he is not married to the term “associate member.” He is more concerned about the outcomes of closer economic and defence ties.
Expert warns of challenges
Achim Hurrelmann, co-director of the Centre for European Studies at Carleton University, said the talks may not be easy. The EU is far from politically united on the idea, he noted.
“I’m not sure if a status with that name can be established for Canada any time soon,” he said. He explained that once all member states become involved, the EU tends to move very slowly.
Hurrelmann said the main challenge is a lack of clarity in Europe about what “associate membership” means. He described the language used by Canadian officials this week as the strongest embrace of the idea he has seen from the Canadian side. He said member states will insist on their right to be heard.
He also said there is a case for an enhanced partnership status. “Maybe finding a different label will eventually do the trick,” he said, but that remains to be seen.
Elections in several major European countries in the coming months could also shake up the talks. Spain’s general election is set for Nov. 29, and the French presidential election goes ahead in April. Poland will hold parliamentary elections on Nov. 11 next year.
Business, data and energy plans
The joint statement calls for more industrial collaboration and supply chain integration, and cites various joint projects. Plans include a new Canada-EU business council.
The Prime Minister’s Office said the two sides will take first steps in the coming months toward a new transatlantic data cable. They will also study how to increase liquefied natural gas exports to the European market.
Source: Global News Canada
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving multilingual diaspora communities across Canada. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, NEPMCC, and the Canadian Freelance Union (Unifor). Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
