Offering Canada a specially designed status would unfairly privilege it over countries undergoing the EU accession process

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada the European Union's first "associate member", although no such status presently exists in EU treaties and member states have not approved it. Canada is seeking a unique partnership rather than conventional EU membership, potentially encompassing trade, manufacturing, defence, artificial intelligence, energy, critical minerals and Arctic cooperation. President Donald Trump subsequently threatened trade measures if he considered the arrangement hostile to the United States.