European Parliament President Metsola: Australia and New Zealand may become "associate members" of the EU in the future

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola told Euronews that as countries with similar ideals seek to establish closer ties, countries such as Australia and New Zealand may also follow Canada's footsteps and become "associate members" of the EU in the future.

On the eve of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's speech on the 17th, Metsoora pointed out in an interview that the status of "associate members" is between formal EU members and candidate countries, opening up a "third way" for bilateral relations. "We hope to deepen relations with certain countries." "I have no doubt that this will cover other countries, and there will be other countries knocking on our door... In this era of uncertainty, having friends is crucial."

The EU has signed trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand, providing a potential starting point for further cooperation between the two parties. The EU has also made similar proposals to Canada to upgrade relations; the EU and Canada signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as early as 2016.

When asked about the specific technical details of the operation of "associate member states", Metsola admitted that relevant negotiations are still in the preliminary stage, but emphasized that future cooperation will focus on deepening trade relations, obtaining key raw materials, and developing common norms on issues of high concern to countries with "similar ideals", such as social media supervision and the protection of minors.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen just made a proposal to Canada to become an "associate member" in her annual "State of the Union Address" on the 16th.

Carney is actively seeking closer ties with the European Union as he faces high punitive tariffs imposed by his largest trading partner, the United States. Under pressure from U.S. President Trump, the Ottawa authorities are rethinking their international positioning. Carney has frequently spoken out recently, calling for the formation of an alliance of "middle powers."

In response, Trump threatened to consider imposing a new round of tariffs on the EU if Canada's efforts to win over associate members become "hostile." There is currently a trade agreement between Washington and Brussels, and EU goods exported to the United States face a 15% tariff ceiling.

Metsola downplayed Trump's threats, reiterated that the EU views its relations with the United States and Canada as independent incidents, and emphasized that the EU is not targeting anyone, but plays the role of an advocate for rules-based cooperation.

In addition, a spokesman for the European Commission also issued a statement echoing this: "Our proposal to strengthen the partnership is not aimed at anyone, but to pool our common strength."