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EU 'opening door' for Canada to become associate member (www.rte.ie)

submitted 5 days ago by Tango@piefed.ca to c/world@lemmy.world

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said ⁠the European Union is opening the door for Canada to become the first associate member, a status that does not exist under the bloc's ‌treaties.

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[-] Tango@piefed.ca 34 points 5 days ago

It's just occurred to me that if Europe is successful in creating this new status, it could also serve as a stopgap status to offer Ukraine until Ukraine meets the requirements for full membership.

[-] ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world 16 points 5 days ago

Could also be applied to the UK and Switzerland, if they wanted it. Though in a more permanent way that's similar to how they would use it for Canada, not the same way as for Ukraine.

[-] Tango@piefed.ca 9 points 5 days ago

Unlikely to include Switzerland; they seem to prefer to keep each agreement separate and subject to periodic renewal. Seems unnecessarily awkward to me, but that's how the Swiss like it, I guess.

[-] GregorGizeh@lemmy.zip 1 points 5 days ago

There is one defining aspect to the Swiss, and that is amoral greed. No involvements or entanglements with anyone or anything if it can at all be avoided, no responsibility to say no to any corrupt source of money. The corrupt, morally bankrupt but otherwise very solvent tax oasis for Europe, always ready and willing to take in anyone and anything with money. Nazi politicians looking to avoid the consequences of their policies, russian oligarch money, saudis, you name it. All are welcome as long as nobody does anything that would force the Swiss to take a stand.

[-] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 2 points 4 days ago

Merz already proposed it and Ukraine turned it down.

[-] minorkeys@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 days ago

Having other nations with the status might change that, especially if it makes full members easier to accomplish later.

[-] hanrahan@slrpnk.net 3 points 5 days ago

as an Australian i'd love Australia to join as well

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[-] abbadon420@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 days ago

I believe there is already a status for "candidate member"

[-] SlurpingPus@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Yeah, the EU's reality is that they want candidate members, but not new members. The candidate status is a multi-stage process with requirements for the country, which can be dragged out for decades. As soon as the country joins properly, it can pull a Hungary and start demanding stuff from the EU and holding joint initiatives hostage with its votes, while backsliding in their own politics.

I'm guessing the ‘associate member’ status is approximately like turning the candidate thing permanent, without obligation to ever make a country into a member or accept any demands.

[-] AbsolutelyNotAVelociraptor@piefed.social 25 points 5 days ago

This is the way. Strength in alliances and numbers. The Burger Reich is now a rogue state that should be considered as dangerous as Russia (if not more, given the mental instability of the Pedofuhrer) so we should do as much as we can to form a bloc capable of surviving the inevitable downfall of it.

[-] SabinStargem@lemmy.today 1 points 3 days ago

Good. This helps protect Canada from the US. Also, if there is a civil war in America, refugees can use Canada as a way to get to Europe. Many innocent lives would be saved by that possibility.

Speaking for myself as an American, I like the idea of being able to visit Canada and to spend my Euros over there, if the need arises. I swapped my life savings of American Dollars into Euros, since I am expecting a Greater Depression to be in the works. Not being destitute is a comforting thought for me.

[-] HK65@sopuli.xyz 1 points 3 days ago

Sorry to piss into the punchbowl, but just getting asylum in one EU country does not entitle anyone to live in the rest. Also, even if Canada gets in Schengen, mass migration events cause border checks to come back, even now.

If you can get full Canadian citizenship, that's another matter.

Joining the Eurozone is also something that takes a decade at least, a lot of EU countries still have their own currency despite joining in the last millennium.

So there is no real possibility of a US mass migration event to Europe, especially with the politics the current US elite is funding in Europe.

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this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2026

199 points (99.5% liked)

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