On September 16 (local time), according to AFP, US President Donald Trump warned that he could react strongly to the European Union (EU), after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed opening the door for Canada to become the first "linked member" of the bloc.
I think that's ridiculous," Mr. Trump said when asked about the EU's proposal. Mr. Trump added that if the proposal comes from goodwill, it's okay, but if there is "bad intention", the US may impose very heavy tariffs, or even stop trading with Europe.
Ms. von der Leyen's proposal was made one day before Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to speak in the European Parliament. Mr. Carney is the first non-European government leader to attend an annual speech on "The Situation of the European Union".
Ms. von der Leyen called on the EU and Canada to get closer in the context that the rule-based international system is under pressure. She proposed expanding cooperation in technology, defense and energy, towards a broader "union for the future".
The fields mentioned include smart manufacturing, technology, defense industry, Arctic, energy, critical minerals, batteries, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and economic security.
However, the "associated member" status is currently not stipulated in EU treaties. This idea was once proposed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz this year for Ukraine. According to that option, a "associated member" country can attend EU summits and enjoy a part of the budget but does not have full voting rights.
The European Union and Canada already have significant cooperative relations. The CETA Free Trade Agreement is said to contribute to increasing trade in goods and services between the two sides by more than 80% since 2016. Canada also became the first non-EU country to participate in a key defense lending program of the bloc this year.
