The European Union has reportedly dropped its contentious proposal to make Canada an “associate member” of the bloc. According to reports from German news agency dpa and Reuters, references to associated membership were quietly removed from a joint draft statement ahead of the EU-Canada summit in Montreal.

Back in September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had allegedly floated the prospect of Canada becoming the bloc's first associate member. This purported overture was viewed by observers as an attempt by both Ottawa and European capitals to pivot away from the United States amid ongoing trade friction under President Donald Trump.

However, diplomatic sources indicate that von der Leyen’s suggestion proved highly divisive during internal negotiations among EU member states. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and several other European leaders supposedly pushed hard for the removal of these terms from the draft declaration, fearing unnecessary escalation and institutional complications.

The revised joint statement now merely calls for an “ever closer association” and outlines modest connectivity and energy feasibility studies. These diplomatic maneuvers underscore the precarious position of Canadian leadership as they attempt to diversify economic partnerships away from the US regime while simultaneously risking severe trade retaliation from Washington.

Source: www.aljazeera.com