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France 24
France 24
Comment
François PICARD

The 28th state? Carney's Canada draws closer to European Union

Cover image: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney shakes hands with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as he attends her State of the European Union address (SOTEU) to the European Parliament, in Strasbourg, France, September 16, 2026 © Yves Herman, REUTERS

US president Donald Trump has previously talked about making Canada the 51st state, Now, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is in Europe, and the president of the European Commission has proposed the country ‘associate membership’. In this edition, we ask what that means and how it differs from the close status afforded to Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and the UK – countries which Carney is also visiting ahead of his own Strasbourg speech Thursday before the European Parliament.

What are Canada’s options? What are Europe’s options as both the US and Russia are eyeing the Arctic? How closer can they really get when already ten EU nations – including France and Italy – have yet to ratify the CETA free trade agreement that is provisionally in effect with Ottawa?

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