Van Brempt says the new names for the Canada partnership must bring results
Kathleen Van BremptMember of the European Parliament, speaking for the S&D group in a plenary debate
Van Brempt supports deepening the EU's partnership with Canada and says associate membership and the alliance for the future sound promising but must deliver more than a promise.
“That partnership recently has been given a lot of fancy names. You mentioned it: an associate membership, an alliance for the future – it all sounds very promising, but it must be more than just a promise.”
Original text
Where this statement fits
Should Canada become an associate member of the European Union?
In her State of the European Union address on 16 September 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she would like to work with Prime Minister Mark Carney on opening the door for Canada to be the first associate member of the European Union, as part of moving beyond the existing CETA trade agreement to what she called an Alliance for the Future. Carney, present as an invited guest, told the European Parliament the following day that Canada welcomes the ambition, while attributing the associate-member phrase to von der Leyen rather than adopting it, and promised debates and a vote in the Canadian Parliament on the final structure. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre set red lines against Canadians paying taxes to Brussels, following European laws they did not vote on, or adopting European immigration policy. United States President Donald Trump said that if he judged the arrangement a hostile act he would impose heavy tariffs on Europe or curtail trade. No agreement has been signed, and associate membership is not a status defined in the European Union's treaties.
Source and context
Original text
About this source
European Parliament verbatim report of the plenary debate. Van Brempt spoke in English.
Before the quotation
Van Brempt says that in a world filled with Trumps, Europe needs stable and reliable partners, that Canada is such a partner and that it makes sense to deepen the partnership.
After the quotation
She says the summit must deliver closer cooperation on energy security, defence, trade, critical minerals and students, and calls it unacceptable that 10 member states have not ratified CETA.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case asks whether Canada should become an associate member of the EU. Van Brempt backs a closer partnership but conditions her support for the new arrangement on concrete results.
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More from this case
Read the full caseCarleton's Achim Hurrelmann doubts an associate-member status for Canada can be set up soon
“I'm not sure if a status with that name can be established for Canada any time soon”Read statement
Poilievre says the summit cut no tariffs and warns against aligning Canada with European policies
“Worse, there was lots of talk at the summit about aligning Canada with the insane European taxes, debt, immigration and anti-oil and gas policies that have left parts of Europe bankrupt and burning.”Read statement
German ambassador says the two sides should give the associate-member label real content
“The president of the commission and the prime minister are using the term associated membership, so let's fill that name with life and see what it can be about. I think we should not be distracted by the label in question from the important content that has been agreed today”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Van Brempt says the new names for the Canada partnership must bring results". First published: 2026-11-01. Last updated: 2026-11-01. https://disputeindex.com/events/7632-van-brempt-supports-deepening-the-eu-s-partnership