Germany and other EU countries ready to block von der Leyen's plan to give Canada 'associate membership'
www.dw.com
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants to give Canada a special status within the EU. But Germany and other member states have raised objections ahead of a summit in Montreal.

European Union member states have blocked a proposal by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to grant Canada a special status as an “associate member” of the bloc.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and several other EU leaders pushed to remove the term from a draft declaration ahead of a two-day EU-Canada summit beginning Thursday in Montreal, according to diplomats cited by the dpa and AFP news agencies.

Instead, the revised document calls for a plan to establish “closer ties” between

  • REDACTED@infosec.pubEnglish
    23·
    1 day ago

    Pretty much everyone agrees they should simply be part of EEA (economic area) like Norway, not an associate. If you’re going to do this, do this right instead of making up some new terminology for specific country that no one really knows what that even means.

    Right now it just looks like posturing.

    • balsoft@lemmy.mlEnglish
      2·
      21 hours ago

      do this right instead of making up some new terminology for specific country that no one really knows what that even means

      Have you seen any European international agreements? There isn’t a single god damn treaty that doesn’t have some vague country-specific exceptions.