What could EU associate member status mean for Canada?

Image source, Getty Images By James Gregory Published 36 minutes ago Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has welcomed the European Union's ambition to make his country the first associate member of the bloc – but what would that mean in practice?

Carney says he is seeking a "unique" relationship with the EU, in an apparent reference to the fact that EU treaties do not currently provide for associate membership.

Germany had proposed Ukrainian associate membership earlier this year but Kyiv rejected the idea, saying it only wanted full EU integration. The EU itself also seemed reluctant.

But EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has now shifted the focus across the Atlantic to Canada

At the her State of the Union address on Wednesday, von der Leyen listed several key areas for cooperation, although she did not give specific details about how Canadian associate membership would work.