Australia and New Zealand could follow Canada into associated EU membership, says Metsola

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has said that countries including Australia and New Zealand could follow Canada in becoming "associate members" of the European Union as like-minded nations seek closer ties.

Speaking exclusively to Euronews Europe Today ahead of a speech by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday, Metsola described the proposed status as a third way between full EU membership and candidate status.

“There are countries with which we want to deepen our relationship,” Metsola said.

"I don't doubt that it will include other countries, and others will come knocking at our door...In such times of uncertainty, having friends matters."

The EU already has trade agreements with both countries, providing a potential starting point for closer cooperation. A similar relationship has been proposed with Canada, which signed a comprehensive trade agreement with the EU in 2016.

Asked about the technicalities of what associate membership would look like, Metsola acknowledged that talks are still at an early stage, while pointing to deeper trade relations, access to critical raw materials and common regulations on issues that “like-minded” countries care deeply about, such as social media and the protection of minors.

On Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed “associate membership” for Canada in her annual State of the Union address.

Canadian Prime Minister Carney is exploring closer ties with the bloc amid a trade war with the US, Canada’s biggest trading partner, with prohibitive tariffs in place. 

After the announcement, Trump told reporters he would consider imposing fresh tariffs on the European Union if the bid for associate membership turns "hostile".