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EU chief lays out vision for new Canada partnership at Montreal summit

Ursula von der Leyen continued to use the term "associate member" for Canada despite some opposition of the bloc's members, including Germany.

BBC World•

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has laid out her vision for what an "associate membership" status for Canada to the EU would look like as officials gather in Montreal to discuss closer ties.

It is "a partnership that comes close to membership than anything we have done before," she said on Thursday's remarks at the two-day Canada-EU summit.

She added it is a type of relationship that would be open "only to our closest partners outside of Europe who are ready to open a new frontier together."

Later on Thursday, Carney and von der Leyen and business leaders from both Europe and Canada will gather for a business forum.