EU to drop Canada 'associate member' term, diplomats say

The European Union has backed away from calling Canada a future “associate member” in a draft joint summit statement with Ottawa, diplomats said Wednesday.

The wording had raised objections among EU member states, the diplomats said.

A draft text circulated before Friday's summit in Montreal instead says the two sides will pursue “an ever-closer association of Canada to the EU, short of full membership itself.”