institute of europe
the institute of europe of the russian academy of sciences
Analytical paper IE RAS No 36, 2026 «Are the European Union and Canada creating a Western edition of BRICS?»
- 30 September 2026
IE RAS presents Analytical papers of IE RAS No 36, 2026 «Are the European Union and Canada creating a Western edition of BRICS?» (in Russian) by Olga V. Butorina, Doctor of Sciences (Economics), Professor, RAS Corresponding member, Deputy Director, Institute of Europe, Russian Academy of Sciences.
On 6 July 2026, German economist Daniel Gros put forward the idea of establishing an alliance of medium-sized Western powers around the European Union, with the aim of strengthening their collective position in the global economy. On 16 September 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed that Canada become the EU’s first associate member. The institutional framework of the proposed alliance remains unclear and is expected to be defined at the EU–Canada summit scheduled for late October. If implemented, the initiative could have implications both for the way in which the EU structures its relations with international partners and for its internal political and institutional dynamics.
