The EU Should Create an 'Integrated Partnership' Status for Canada and Other Democracies
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/fabian-zuleeg. "Canada should become an EU state in all but name. Here’s how to make that a reality | Fabian Zuleeg | The Guardian." September 14, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author argues the EU should invent a new 'almost-member' status for trusted democratic allies like Canada, the UK, and Japan—letting them team up closely on defense and foreign policy without going through the long, difficult process of full EU membership. Canada should be first in line for this arrangement, especially given its rocky relationship with the US and its leader's interest in closer EU ties.
Conclusion
The EU should establish a new category of deep engagement called 'integrated partnership'—allowing geopolitically aligned democracies like Canada, the UK, Japan, and South Korea to pool sovereignty across defense, security, foreign policy and trade with the EU without full membership—and Canada should be among the first countries to adopt this status, starting at the October EU-Canada summit.
Premises
- Iceland's referendum result shows that framing EU relations as a binary choice between full membership and staying outside is too restrictive; many countries want deep integration without accession
- Existing partial-membership models like the EEA are insufficient because they focus only on the single market and do not cover defense, security, or foreign policy
- The EU currently has nine countries queued for full membership and will struggle to admit them all within a reasonable timeframe due to internal reforms, budget constraints, and political resistance
- Growing authoritarian aggression means democracies and 'middle powers' need to act together quickly rather than wait years for formal accession processes
- Canada's strained relationship with the US, combined with Mark Carney's stated interest in a 'unique alliance' with the EU, creates a timely opportunity for deeper integration
- EU member states themselves cannot be assumed to remain permanently committed to liberal democracy (e.g., France or Germany could someday be governed by illiberal forces), so a broader network of like-minded democracies would serve as a political counterweight and safeguard for collective action
Assumptions
- Deep integration with EU institutions and policies is inherently desirable for both the EU and partner countries
- The EU has the political will and administrative capacity to design and implement this novel partnership status, despite already struggling with existing accession processes
- Countries can be reliably and durably assessed as 'like-minded' on democratic values
- Geopolitical alignment is a valid substitute for geographic proximity or shared institutional history in determining eligibility for deep EU integration
- Partner countries will accept obligations and costs proportional to the benefits they receive, without demanding full voting rights or representation
- Creating this new status will not undermine the incentive structure or perceived legitimacy of the existing accession process for countries like Ukraine or the Western Balkans