So much shallow reaction to von der Leyen saying this today, as if she is the President of Europe who just can unilaterally create a new tier of EU membership by announcing it, even as as we still don't know what it means. She can’t, and it's not how the EU works. If you're on here cheering Canada joining the EU might be worth learning how it actually operates first. Granting any kind of membership is a decision for the European Council and the member states, not the Commission president, and per this piece, national capitals weren’t even consulted before she said it. Diplomats are already pouring cold water on the idea. And remember, not all member states have even ratified CETA yet, a decade after it was signed.