European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently made a startling proposal to Canada. She invited the nation to become the first associate member.
Now that bold idea is hitting a wall of opposition across European capitals. Germany, Italy and Greece pushed back against including the term in a joint statement. The disagreement erupted just before a major bilateral summit in Montreal.
The problem is that such a term as “associate membership” does not exist in the founding European treaties. Berlin insists that governments must agree on concrete policies before inventing new titles.
Von der Leyen unveiled the concept during her State of the Union address in September. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended as guest of honor. However, European capitals received no warning before the speech. Even Carney seemed hesitant about the wording. He remarked that substance matters more than official titles. He called the arrangement “an alliance of the future.”
The draft statement was scheduled for automatic approval under the silent procedure. Germany, Italy and Greece formally raised objections before the deadline. Council President António Costa must now draft a revised version.
Critics say von der Leyen often announces grand plans without weighing legal consequences.
