Be aware that the proposal on associate membership concerns non-European partner countries. If a country on the continent wants a special partnership, it can apply for membership , declared the EC representative during a press conference about an eventual offer to London.

The controversy arose after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed to start work on granting Canada associate membership in the EU bloc, an initiative that raised questions among several member states.

European analysts point out that Von der Leyen’s proposal opens a legal and political debate about the limits of enlargement and partnership formulas, at a time when the community is seeking to redefine its relationship with London after Brexit.

Regional integration specialists view the refusal of the UK as reflecting the EU’s willingness not to create precedents that could be claimed by other European nations interested in privileged ties without assuming full membership obligations.

The EC’s stance also responds to concerns of several member countries, which fear that an intermediate status for London will weaken internal cohesion and complicate future accession negotiations.

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