# EU's Canada deal leaves Britain out in the cold

> Brussels offers Canada associate membership while the UK struggles to reset relations with Europe.
- Title: EU's Canada deal leaves Britain out in the cold · the Guardian
- Summary: Brussels offers Canada associate membership while the UK struggles to reset relations with Europe. The EU is building new partnerships with allies like…
- Keywords: european union, canada, ursula von der leyen, mark carney, associate membership, brexit, trade, critical raw materials, china, middle powers, eu relations, EU's
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/16/eu-offer-canada-blueprint-britain-brexit
- Published: 2026-09-16T18:57:14+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: european union, canada, ursula von der leyen, mark carney, associate membership, brexit, uk, trade, critical raw materials, china, middle powers, eu relations
## EU opens door to Canada
Ursula von der Leyen announced Canada could become the EU's first associate member, deepening ties among allies in an increasingly hostile world.

> an openly hostile world
## Canada needs EU markets
Canada has critical raw materials the EU desperately needs, while the EU offers new markets as Canada faces a trade war with the US.
## Britain could have had this
The UK once could have pursued associate membership with the EU, but chose a clean-break Brexit instead, leaving it out of new partnership opportunities.
## EU needs rare earths badly
China dominates global supplies of critical raw materials. The EU introduced a Critical Raw Materials Act in 2024 to reduce dependence and diversify sources.
## A blueprint for others
EU officials say associate membership could become a model for other democratic countries seeking closer ties without full membership.
## UK's reset stalls quietly
Britain is seeking a reset with the EU, but modest first-year goals remain unmet. The government avoids discussing deeper EU ties to sidestep Brexit debates.
## The vagueness is the point
Associate membership remains deliberately undefined, allowing flexibility. This ambiguity could work in Britain's favor if it ever seeks a similar arrangement.
## Key takeaway

The EU is building new partnerships with allies like Canada, signaling that Britain's post-Brexit isolation may be harder to escape than hoped.