The EU has achieved great things for its citizens and the world:
- freedom for its citizens to live, study or work anywhere in the EU
- prosperity thanks to the world’s biggest single market and a common currency
- growth thanks to the world’s largest trade bloc
- protection of citizens’ fundamental, digital, social, economic and other rights
- border-free travel thanks to the Schengen area
- pioneer in fighting climate change, protecting the environment and securing sustainable energy
- protection of citizens’ health from local and global health threats and by ensuring food safety
- support and solidarity in times of need due to natural disasters, economic crises, or a pandemic
- peace in the EU and stability for over 70 years
- expansion and unity thanks to the EU’s enlargement
- aid and development assistance for millions of people worldwide.
More where this came from here.
If the associate membership still includes the free movement thing they have in Europe, that could open up a lot more options for movement what with Canada being the second largest country in the world. Maybe it’s only called an associate membership because we are not on the same continent? If only that, then we could share everything still and work together.