India, Sept. 17 -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed that Canada become the European Union's first "associate member", a status never defined or used by the bloc before.

Von der Leyen made the offer on September 16, in her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney present. "I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada being the first associate member of the EU," she told him, adding that the EU wanted to take the relationship "to the highest level possible".

Carney, who has described the relationship Canada wants with the EU as a "unique alliance", welcomed the proposal. In his speech to the European Parliament on Thu...