Von der Leyen a propus Canadei să devină "membru asociat UE", dar statutul nu există iar membrii nu ştiau

Ursula von der Leyen proposed Canada to become an "associate member" of the EU, a status that does not exist in treaties. This suggestion, made during her State of the Union address, was met with applause in the European Parliament but surprised EU member states, which had not been consulted. While there is support for closer trade relations with Canada, there is no consensus for deeper political or economic integration, which would require treaty changes. Concerns were raised about potential trade conflicts and the implications of such a status. Reactions among EU lawmakers were mixed, with some supporting the idea while others questioned the lack of democratic mandate for such a proposal.