EU chief proposes making Canada the bloc's first associate member

AXIOS

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen wants to open talks on associate membership for Canada, she said Wednesday, Sept. 16, in Brussels beside Prime Minister Mark Carney. Ottawa is looking to Europe after a year of U.S. tariffs and Trump's talk of making Canada the 51st state. Canada cannot join outright: EU treaties limit full membership to European states. She did not say what rights or duties the lesser tier would carry. Trump answered Thursday evening: “If it's a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things,” he told reporters. “If it's a bad intention, we'll put very heavy tariffs on Europe.”