BRUSSELS — The European Union must turn its offer of 'associate membership' to Canada into a meaningful partnership that goes well beyond trade, Tobias Cremer, the European Parliament's standing rapporteur on Canada, told Euronews on Friday, October 23.
Source: Euronews via Daily Guardian Europe
"For the last couple of months, we've been great, Canada and Europe, at writing each other love letters and saying how much we really want to work together," said Cremer, a German socialist MEP. "But I think now is really the time to start to get serious and turn that love story into concrete commitments."
Source: Euronews — Cremer interview
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen invited Canada in September to become the EU's first 'associate member', but gave little indication of what the unprecedented status would mean in practice, Euronews reported. Cremer said associate membership must mean "the closest possible partnership that the EU can offer to a non-European country and since Canada is probably the most European of non-European countries that should be very close."
Source: Euronews via Daily Guardian Europe
The offer comes as geopolitical upheaval draws Brussels and Ottawa closer: Canada is embroiled in a trade war with its traditional US ally, while the EU is struggling to keep Washington on its side over Ukraine, Euronews reported. The two sides meet at a summit in Montreal on October 29-30, with agreements expected in areas including critical raw materials and digital cooperation.
Source: Euronews
Yaani: €6.5 billion is 650 crore euros, while Canada's token upfront payment for the EU's SAFE defence programme was around €10 million — yaani 1 crore euros — according to Euronews' reporting of the draft arrangements.
Source: Euronews — EU and Canada draw closer
A draft EU-Canada joint statement, discussed by ambassadors on Wednesday, describes an 'Alliance for the Future' and envisages giving Canada a more regular place at the EU's table — participation in summits, ministerial meetings and technical discussions, with 'early consultations on major policy and regulatory initiatives', Euronews reported. The full scope of the associate membership 'will be defined by the 2027 Canada-EU Summit', the draft conclusions read.
Source: Euronews — draft joint statement reporting
The draft builds on the 2016 Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) — which 10 EU countries have yet to ratify — and opens the door to liquefied natural gas exchanges through a joint feasibility study, Canada joining the EU's supercomputer initiative, a digital partnership on AI and digital identity, European Investment Bank support for critical mineral projects, and deeper defence cooperation, Euronews reported.
Source: Euronews — draft joint statement reporting
Cremer insisted the relationship must amount to more than 'a trade deal plus' and called for embedding the initiatives 'into a common institutional framework of coordination and cooperation'. He suggested Canada could participate 'as an observer' in the Council of the EU and proposed a formal parliamentary partnership assembly, Euronews reported.
Source: Euronews — Cremer interview
Britain is watching closely. Former Conservative MEP Charles Tannock told Euronews it was 'hardly surprising that Brexit has not delivered on that promise' of an Anglosphere trading alliance. On the UK, Cremer said: 'In an ideal world, with the UK we have even closer ties... the ambition should not be an associate membership, but full membership.'
Source: Euronews