Speaking exclusively on the Europe Today program ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's speech on Thursday, Metsola described the proposed status as a "third way" between full EU membership and candidate country status. "There are states with which we want to deepen our relations," Metsola said. "I have no doubt that this list will include other countries, and that others will be knocking on our door... In times of uncertainty, friends matter." The EU already has trade agreements with both countries, which could serve as a starting point for closer cooperation. A similar format of relations has been proposed to Canada, which signed a comprehensive trade agreement with the EU in 2016. In response to a question about what associate membership might technically look like, Metsola acknowledged that negotiations are in the early stages, while pointing to the possibility of deepening trade ties, ensuring access to critical raw materials, and developing common rules on issues that are particularly important to "like-minded" countries, such as social networks and child protection. On Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in her annual State of the Union address, proposed granting Canada "associate membership." Canadian Prime Minister Carney is seeking ways to align more closely with the bloc amid a trade war with the U.S., the country's largest trading partner, where prohibitive tariffs have been imposed. Under pressure from President Donald Trump, Ottawa is reassessing its place in the world, and Carney himself is actively advocating for the creation of a "middle powers" alliance. ## ## No reason for retaliation After the announcement, Trump told reporters that he would consider imposing new tariffs against the European Union if the application for associate membership becomes "hostile." There is a trade agreement in place between Washington and Brussels, under which a 15% tariff is applied to goods from the EU. Metsola attempted to smooth over the threats, emphasizing that the EU views its relations with the two countries separately. According to her, the Union does not act against anyone but advocates for cooperation based on rules. She also reminded of the trade agreement that was agreed upon last summer and ratified this year. A representative of the European Commission, in a separate comment, stated: "The proposed strengthening of our partnership is not directed against anyone, but for our common strength."
