Thread

EU chief opens door for Canada to become 'associate member'

693 points · 905 comments · hackernj

neom · 1789557380 · focus · HN ↗
No idea what this actually means, if it means easier trade, I'm all for anything that reduces our dependency on the yanks, as long as we don't need to be involved in their regulatory or legal regimes. The Americans are no longer our friends, Salut, mes amis Européens. :)
1. FabCH · 1789557897 · focus · HN ↗
  Carney was asking for freedom of movement of goods, people and services, but without full monetary and legislative integration.
  So, easier to sell stuff, easier to buy stuff, free to just travel to/from Canada/EU and work there with no extra paperwork, free to buy and sell service from Canada to EU and vice versa.
  No Euro, no vote in EU, no ECJ, no payments into each others budget.
  Tighter integration than UK, not as tight as Norway/Switzerland/Iceland.
  Common defense was already agreed anyhow.
  I can tell you this enjoys broad support in the EU public. Although, no joke, a lot of peoples first reaction is: "They need to compete in Eurovision first. Otherwise they should wait for Australia to join first."
  1. post-it · 1789558150 · focus · HN ↗
    Canada will be competing in Eurovision 2027 in May. :)
    SyneRyder · 1789559599 · focus · HN ↗
    Also, being a European Broadcasting Union (EBU) "Associate Member" is the name for the mechanism that allowed Australia, Canada and other countries to be admitted into Eurovision.
    If you've been around the ESC scene, you know there's a lot of embassy involvement (parties in embassies are a thing), the scene is catnip for those interested in politics, the politically active, and to some extent politicians. Eurovision is also one mechanism for discussions of economic development. Hosting the contest is usually an excuse for upgrades to public infrastructure.
    And there's Eurovision Asia starting in November. South Korea is an Associate Member of the EBU, for example.
    <a href="https://www.ebu.ch/news/2026/03/bangkok-to-host-first-ever-eurovision-song-contest-asia-in-2026" rel="nofollow">https://www.ebu.ch/news/2026/03/bangkok-to-host-first-ever-e...
    fidotron · 1789560490 · focus · HN ↗
    > If you've been around the ESC scene
    This is a euphemism on par with attending parties in parts of the SFO AI community.
    embedding-shape · 1789560634 · focus · HN ↗
    Having been around both, the ESC isn't nearly as drug-fueled as the other, for better or worse.
    pantalaimon · 1789562769 · focus · HN ↗
    Only if you don't count alcohol
    SyneRyder · 1789567845 · focus · HN ↗
    Ahh, that one time the Belarussian delegation tried importing so much alcohol into [host country] to give away for free to everyone at the artist party, that it was all seized at the [host country] border and caused a minor diplomatic incident. The free chocolate branded with the artist's face made it in though. Fun times.
    And that wasn't the year that Belarus sent "I Love Belarus" as their Eurovision song.

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