Questions have been raised over whether Canada could hypothetically apply to join the European Union amid its crumbling relations with the US, but experts say its geographical and cultural distance to the continent poses a problem.
Social media is abuzz with Europeans and Canadians alike calling for Canada to join the European Union, following recent hostility from US President Donald Trump which has pushed Ottawa closer into Europe’s arms.
Posts on Reddit and X are full of comments from social media users suggesting that Canada could and should join the EU to break away from its ties with Washington, as the Trump administration threatens to make Canada its 51st state and slaps tariffs on its traditional allies there and in Europe.
Proponents of Canada becoming the 28th member state cite its European-style public healthcare system, its uniquely English and French-speaking culture, and its participation in NATO as some of the reasons to join.
Yet more posts of this kind came after new Prime Minister Mark Carney alluded to Canada’s European roots during a visit to the old continent — his first official foreign trip since taking office — which saw him meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss Trump’s recent belligerence.
“I want to ensure that France, and the whole of Europe, works enthusiastically with Canada, the most European of non-European countries,” Carney said, adding that he wished to “maintain the most positive relations possible with the United States”.
The meeting came after a survey published by Abacus Data in late February found that 44% of Canadians believe their country should join the EU, compared to 34% who say it shouldn’t.
Another 46% of respondents would support Canada joining, compared to 29% who would oppose it.
But is this actually possible? Could Canada really join the bloc?
What does EU law say?
Paula Pinho, spokesperson for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said at a briefing earlier in March that they were “honoured” with the survey results because they showed the attractiveness of the EU, but added that Article 49 of the Treaty on the European Union says that only European states can apply for EU membership.
That is indeed what the treaty says: “Any European State which respects the values referred to in Article 2 and is committed to promoting them may apply to become a member of the Union”.
Nevertheless, the treaty doesn’t quite lay out exactly what constitutes a “European State”.
A 1992 document from the commission of the then-European Communities gives us a clue, however, highlighting the importance of geographical and cultural ties.
“The term ‘European’ has not been officially defined,” it says. “It combines geographical, historical and cultural elements which all contribute to the European identity.”
“The shared experience of proximity, ideas, values, and historical interaction cannot be condensed into a simple formula, and is subject to review each succeeding generation,” the document continues.
Other continental organisations can also serve as a barometer for Europeanness, according to Peter Van Elsuwege, professor of EU law at Ghent University.
ADVERTISEMENT“Another point of reference is the membership of the Council of Europe, since this organisation is also only open to ‘European States’,” he told EuroVerify. “Hence, membership of the Council of Europe gives an indication of ‘the limits of Europe’.”
The Statute of the Council of Europe, which predates the EU, says: “Any European State…may be invited to become a member of the Council of Europe by the Committee of Ministers”.
Have any non-European countries applied to join the EU before?
Countries from outside continental Europe have previously asked and even eventually joined the EU.
Cyprus, which is culturally and politically European but geographically located in West Asia, became a full member of the EU in 2004.
ADVERTISEMENTWhile some of Turkey sits in Europe, most is also in West Asia. Nonetheless, it’s an official EU candidate country despite accession talks having stalled for years.
Morocco, however, applied to join in 1987 but was rejected because it wasn’t a European country.
Unlike Cyprus and Turkey, Morocco is not a member of the Council of Europe, and neither is Canada, which is one of the biggest hurdles to it ever joining the EU, according to Van Elsuwege.
“Canada — just as Morocco in the past — does not satisfy the criterion of a ‘European state’,” he said. “In particular, Canada is geographically speaking not located in Europe, it is not a Council of Europe member state and does not have any ancient connections to the cultural development of Europe.”
ADVERTISEMENTVan Elsuwege noted that this is fundamentally different for Cyprus and Turkey. In the case of the former, the European Commission decided that Cyprus’ role in the development of European culture and civilisation, in addition to its close cultural, political and economic links with the rest of the continent, made its application admissible.
For Turkey, its geography and history play a role in it being deemed a “European state”.
“This was already the case in the 1963 association agreement between the European Economic Community and Turkey, which includes a reference to a potential future membership application from Turkey,” Van Elsuwege said.
“Hence, Cyprus and Turkey are rather specific cases, which cannot be seen as precedents to conclude that Canada may potentially be regarded as a ‘European state’ under Article 49 TEU.”
ADVERTISEMENTThe most likely conclusion therefore is that Canada can’t legally join the EU because it’s not culturally, politically or geographically European, and a hypothetical Canadian application would therefore require a legal overhaul of the treaties.
