Australia and New Zealand could be among the next countries invited to forge a new kind of relationship with the European Union, after the president of the European Parliament publicly named both nations as examples of partners ready to deepen their ties with the bloc. The comments follow a landmark proposal for Canada to become an "associate member" of the EU — a category that does not yet formally exist but is gathering significant momentum in Brussels.
What is EU associate membership — and why does it matter for Australia?
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola outlined a vision of expanding the EU's network of relationships beyond its traditional models, which currently range from full membership to participation in the European Economic Area. Metsola made clear the bloc was actively seeking to deepen ties with like-minded partners, and specifically pointed to Australia and New Zealand as countries already signalling interest.
"We've already seen it, both in terms of legislation that we pass, where we see partners from across the world — Australia, New Zealand being some examples — of saying, look, we want to deepen our relationship," Metsola said.
She described a broad agenda for closer cooperation, encompassing trade, social media regulation, child safety, critical raw materials, and other strategic alliances. "If we can do more things with our friends, then let's do them," she said, emphasising that "friends matter" in a period of global uncertainty.
The associate membership proposal has not yet been formally defined and would require approval from all EU member states before moving forward. It represents a potentially significant shift in how the EU structures partnerships with non-member democracies that share its values.
Canada's prime minister embraces the proposal in Strasbourg
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, warmly endorsing the concept and framing deeper EU-Canada ties as a matter of mutual resilience rather than geopolitical rivalry.
"Europe and Canada are each strong. Europe and Canada are even stronger together," Carney told lawmakers. He was careful to frame the proposed arrangement not as the formation of a rival power bloc, but as a defensive partnership aimed at protecting sovereignty, open markets, and democratic freedoms.
"We do not seek power to dominate others. On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so that no one can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, or undermine our freedoms, our democracies, our rule of law," he said.
The backdrop to Carney's visit is a period of intense pressure on both Canada and the EU from the Trump administration on trade matters, as well as growing assertiveness from China.
Trump issues tariff warning as tensions rise
The proposal drew an immediate and sharp response from US President Donald Trump, who threatened punishing tariffs on Europe if he deemed the Canada associate membership arrangement a hostile act toward the United States.
"If they do that, if I think it's at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things," Trump told reporters. He added that heavy tariffs would follow if the move was made in bad faith, though he left room for a more benign interpretation.
The European Commission pushed back firmly, with a spokesperson stating the proposed partnership with Canada was "not against anyone else, but for our common strength."
What this could mean for Australia's global position
For Australia, the EU's signals arrive at a time when the country's international alliances and trade relationships are under close scrutiny. A formal deepening of ties with Europe — even in a loosely defined associate capacity — could have far-reaching implications for trade, regulatory alignment, and geopolitical positioning. This comes as Australian politics continues to shift in response to changing global dynamics.
No formal approach has been made to Australia, and any associate membership framework remains in early conceptual stages. But Metsola's explicit mention of Australia signals that the conversation is already underway at the highest levels in Brussels.
