The President of the European Union's Parliament, Roberta Metsola, has said that Australia and New Zealand could be considered for the "associate member" status that has been offered to Canada.Speaking to European outlet Europe Today, Metsola described that the yet-to-be-defined status could be given to a wide range of countries that, although they may not be part of Europe geographically, share many of the same values as Europe."There are countries with which we want to deepen our relationship," Metsola said ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's speech to the European Parliament."I don't doubt that it will include other countries, and others will come knocking at our door...In such times of uncertainty, having friends matters."What exactly being an "associate member" of the EU means is still yet to be ironed out, with Metsola as well as EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen noting that the talks regarding this are still in the early stages..The inclusion of Canada in the European project has been seen by many, on both sides of the Atlantic, as a possible third global pillar to a United States that is becoming increasingly isolationist and a China that is growing in confidence on the world stage.The inclusion of Australia and New Zealand in this pact would certainly grow the global reach of the European Union, but some commentators have indicated that even the inclusion of Canada may stretch the Union too far across the globe.Whatever the eventual framework this proposed alliance looks like, it still remains to be seen what exactly "associate member" status entails.Carney has continually indicated that he does not desire to pursue full membership in the EU but is open to associate member status. This status could potentially allow Canadians passport-free access to Europe as well as the ability to move and work on the continent visa-free.It's unclear if a similar proposal would be offered to the Oceanic countries. However, with Canada's future association with the EU still in its infancy, it's likely that any similar association with Australia and New Zealand is still quite a while away.
