# EU chief backs pathway for Canadian associate membership

_Published Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 10:07 AM EDT · Policy · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![Mark Carney puts a hand on Ursula von der Leyen's shoulder as they speak in the European Parliament on Wednesday — Primary](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/4305/live/f4857df0-b1cc-11f1-b1d1-571ed4d7ff2c.jpg)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backed proposals to create an EU associate-membership path for Canada, describing an intention to open the door to closer ties. She identified manufacturing, technology, AI, defence, energy, critical minerals and economic security as cooperation areas. Associate membership does not currently exist, and von der Leyen gave no details of how it would work. The process could take years if agreed.

## Sources

- [bbc.com](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjwyzrr9d3dko)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/Qg1pG7DYmPpJgdRFQ1c7IX
Published: 2026-09-16T14:07:48.613Z
Story chronology: 2026-09-16T09:54:05.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-09-16T16:22:20.547Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)