DOMINANT ANGLE
Madrid claims to be ahead on this issue: Spain has already ratified the CETA trade agreement that ten member states have been dragging on for nine years, and retains in von der Leyen's proposal for "associate member" the extension of an economic partnership already sealed with Ottawa.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Von der Leyen proposed making Canada the EU's first "associate member" to Mark Carney, under a standing ovation from MEPs in Strasbourg on September 16
- 02
Spain has already ratified the CETA EU-Canada trade agreement, while ten member states still have not done so nine years after its signing, according to Carney as quoted by the Financial Times
- 03
EU-Canada goods exchanges reached 82 billion euros in 2025, making the EU Ottawa's second-largest trading partner
ANALYSIS
Madrid, September 17, 2026. The state of the Union speech delivered on Wednesday, September 16, in Strasbourg by Ursula von der Leyen is occupying the Spanish press, which first notes the unprecedented scope of the gesture towards Ottawa. According to Expansión, the President of the Commission proposed to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was present in the hemicycle, to make his country the first "associate member" in the history of the Union, under a standing ovation from MEPs. "We see the world in the same way: from artificial intelligence to climate change," she stated, before listing the areas of cooperation envisioned: defense industry, critical raw materials, batteries, AI, quantum computing, cybersecurity.
HuffPost España emphasizes that this status does not exist in any European treaty: the idea had first been put forward this year by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for Ukraine, before receiving a cold reception in Kiev, which is demanding full membership. The Local Spain recalls the immediate response from Donald Trump, from North Carolina, describing the initiative as "laughable" and threatening, if it constituted a "hostile act", to impose heavy tariffs or cease all trade with Europe.
But it is ElDiario.es that provides the most Spanish angle on the issue: Spain is among the member states that have already ratified the EU-Canada trade agreement, while ten countries in the bloc have still not done so nine years after its signing, according to Mark Carney himself, cited by the Financial Times. The newspaper recalls that in 2025, trade in goods between the EU and Canada reached 82 billion euros, making the European bloc Ottawa's second-largest trading partner. Carney's visit to Strasbourg is intended to serve as a catalyst before a EU-Canada summit scheduled for next month in Montreal.
The Spanish press also notes that Australia has already hinted that it could follow Canada's path if its relations with Washington continue to deteriorate. For Madrid, which is already in compliance with the CETA, this new status appears less like an institutional novelty than the consecration of a commercial relationship already sealed, while ten European partners are still dragging their feet on ratification.
SOURCES (4)
- The Local SpainMEDIUM
- HuffPost EspañaMEDIUM
- ElDiario.esMEDIUM
- ExpansiónMEDIUM