European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed opening a path for Canada to become the European Union’s first associate member during her September 16, 2026 State of the Union address, according to an account published by the EU Delegation to Serbia.
Prime Minister Mark Carney attended the speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg as von der Leyen’s invited guest. She called for closer international partnerships and cooperation among democracies.
The proposal does not establish that Canada has joined the bloc. The delegation’s account provides no detailed membership conditions, legal arrangements or timetable for putting the idea into effect.
The account also describes plans for cooperation with Canada and the United Kingdom on evaluating artificial intelligence systems and their safety. Further details of that cooperation are not set out in the report.
