00:00The European Union has dropped the term associate membership from a draft declaration ahead
00:05of its summit with Canada in Montreal.
00:08The latest draft instead promises ever closer association between the EU and Canada without
00:14offering membership of the bloc.
00:16Germany strongly opposed the original wording, while France, Italy and Greece also raised
00:21concerns.
00:23European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed associate membership last
00:27month, suggesting Canada could become the first country to hold that status.
00:32But Germany wants the EU to focus on what closer cooperation with Canada would mean in practice,
00:37rather than use a term that does not appear in the EU treaties and could have legal implications.
00:44Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he wants to focus on the substance of the
00:48agreement, describing the relationship as an alliance for the future.
00:52The latest draft is being reviewed by EU member states and will be adopted unless a country
00:58objects.
