Canada seeks EU associate membership after escalation of trade war with US — WSJ

NEW YORK, September 13. /TASS/. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is considering seeking associate membership in the European Union, which would give Ottawa a range of economic and political benefits without formally joining the bloc, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, citing sources.

According to the sources, Carney has spent several months discussing "closer integration of Canada and its 41 mln residents into the EU" with European leaders. Amid an escalating trade war between Ottawa and Washington, Carney is seeking to take relations with the EU to a new level, the newspaper said. The prime minister has proposed making Canada an associate member of the European Union, and the EU, which is not typically known for flexibility on membership issues, has shown openness to discussing Ottawa's initiative, the newspaper noted.

According to the report, Carney instructed his special envoy to Europe to explore the most ambitious options for closer ties with the European Union that would stop short of full membership in the bloc or its single market.