Canada Seeks EU Associate Member Status Amid Rising UK Support for Rejoining
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been discussing an 'associate member' status for Canada within the European Union, which would allow Canadian firms to access the EU's single market with less friction. This development comes as support for the UK rejoining the EU reaches a post-Brexit high, with a majority of respondents in recent polling saying they'd vote to rejoin if asked tomorrow.
The associate member status would see Canada align with EU rules in specific strategic sectors, rather than adopting the entire rulebook. This proposal is being sketched out by technical working groups on both sides and includes joint data centers and undersea cables linking the two economies, as well as visa-free travel for Canadians in Europe.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb has reportedly told Carney that he'd rather see Canada tied to Europe's economy than America's. However, nothing is agreed yet, with 10 EU member states still needing to ratify Canada's existing trade deal with the bloc.