Australia and New Zealand could follow in Canada's footsteps to become "associate members" of the European Union, a top EU official has said.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, in an interview with Europe Today, specifically brought up Australia and New Zealand as examples of countries that could deepen their relationships with the alliance.
Metsola said the EU had different models for its relationships with other countries, from full membership to participation in the European Economic Area, and was also looking to deepen ties with partners such as Canada — a model she expected other countries to pursue.
"I don't doubt that that will also include other countries that will come," she said.
"We've already seen it, both in terms of legislation that we pass, where we see partners from across the world — Australia, New Zealand being some examples — of saying, look, we want to deepen our relationship."
"We're doing it in terms of trade. We're doing it in terms of conversation on what we do with social media, with children, with critical raw materials, alliances that can be forged."
She emphasised that "friends matter" during times of global uncertainty.
"If we can do more things with our friends, then let's do them."
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has welcomed the proposal of becoming an "associate member" of the EU, saying Europe and Canada are stronger together and should deepen ties to protect their citizens' prosperity.
"Europe and Canada are each strong. Europe and Canada are even stronger together," Carney told the European parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Thursday.
"I am not proposing a third bloc in order to become a great-power rival — only with better manners."
"We do not seek power to dominate others. On the contrary, we are pursuing resilience so that no one can control our open markets, impair our sovereignty, threaten our territorial integrity, or undermine our freedoms, our democracies, our rule of law."
Hours earlier, US President Donald Trump threatened to take action against the EU if it moved forward with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's proposal of associate membership for Canada.
Both the EU and Canada have been facing stiff rivalry and pressure from the Trump administration on trade, among other matters, and from an assertive China.
"If they do that, if I think it's at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things," Trump told reporters en route to an event in North Carolina.
"If it's a good intention, that's fine. If it's a bad intention, we'll put very heavy tariffs on Europe," he added.
The European Commission said the proposal — which is yet to be fleshed out and will need to be approved by EU member states to go forward — was not a hostile act.
"As our president made clear yesterday, the proposed strengthening of our partnership with Canada is not against anyone else, but for our common strength," said Olof Gill, a European Commission spokesperson.
Speaking in the European Parliament on Thursday, Carney made clear he, like the EU, sought deeper ties and "welcomed" the ambition to become an associate member.
"We are not fair-weather allies," he said.
"We believe that our prosperity grows when it is shared."
Among areas in which he said Canada would want closer ties with the EU he mentioned seeking strategic autonomy through deep cooperation in minerals, defence industrial capacity, AI and computing, energy security, space, and payments.
He also mentioned digital trade and building more secure broadband connections between Europe and Asia via their common geography.