EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

EU.XL

What is an EU 'associate member'? Why is Canada the first?

European Commission's Ursula von der Leyen formally invited Canada to become the EU’s first-ever “associate member”. What is an “associate member” and what does this mean for Canada and the EU?

29 September 2026

EU.XL

Does Europe need new global partners? Take our poll

Could Canada become a test case for a wider EU partnership model? Relations reached a historic turning point when European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggested making Canada the EU’s first-ever "associate member”.

28 September 2026

Europe News

What is CETA, the EU-Canada trade deal, and why is it in limbo?

The EU-Canada trade deal has been provisionally in force since 2017, but ten EU countries have still not ratified it. What is CETA – and why, a decade after it was signed, is it still in limbo?

21 September 2026

12 minutes with

Irish Finance Minister says Hormuz closure causing energy crisis

The Irish Finance Minister hit back against claims made by the US that Ukraine is causing the global energy crisis, saying de-escalation in the Middle East is the only solution.

18 September 2026

Business

The 'Canada effect': Which European companies could win?

The US trade war is pushing Canada towards Europe. Defence, aerospace and industrial technology are where European companies may gain first.

17 September 2026

Europe News

Canada invited to become first 'associate member' of the EU

The status announced by von der Leyen during the State of the Union is an entirely new one, with details yet to be made clear. The European Commission’s President also proposed a new alliance with Ottawa covering tech, critical raw materials, energy and defence.

16 September 2026

Economy

Canada sells itself as a safe bet 'in a very uncertain world'

Canada is positioning itself as a refuge for global capital, with Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne saying the country is a safe place to invest "in a very uncertain world" as Ottawa hosts the largest investment summit in its history.

15 September 2026

Europe Today

Canada wants a ‘unique alliance’ with the EU. How far can Brussels go?

President Trump’s tariff war and territorial threats have made Ottawa pivot towards Europe. Brussels now wants to seize the political moment and draw Canada deeper into its orbit.

15 September 2026

Europe News

Canada eyes ‘associate member’ status with EU amid US tensions

Carney reportedly seeks ‘associate’ EU membership as Ottawa-Washington ties hit fresh low. He will address the European Parliament next week.

13 September 2026

Europe News

Brussels will not mediate between US and Canada, EU trade chief says

Maroš Šefčovič said the Commission is ready to explore a wide range of options to deepen cooperation with Ottawa as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney calls for a closer partnership with the EU.

2 September 2026

Europe News

How Canada’s turn toward Europe might test the EU's borders

The boundaries of the EU are inevitably informed by geography – but Canada, which shares the EU’s values and its vision of the world order, could challenge the bloc’s limits and open the door to a new form of association with Brussels.

29 August 2026

Europe News

Canada wants to get closer to the EU - but how far can it go?

In the midst of a trade war with the US, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney will attend Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union speech in Strasbourg on 16 September, with a summit between Ottawa and Brussels to follow. However, EU membership is not an option.

26 August 2026

Brussels, My Love?

Emmanuel Macron: A King without his country?

In this edition of our weekly politics show, we break down the security guarantees for Ukraine, the EU-Mercosur trade deal and the political instability in France.

6 September 2025

World News

Euroviews. The EU should be leading this new era of FTAs, shaping new standards and spurring on growth ǀ View

European consumers and businesses stand to benefit from Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). That is why the EU should seek to lead this new era by setting global standards for bilateral trade deals.

24 October 2019