Canada shares a 1.2 km border with Denmark, reigniting debate over EU membership
Canada shares a 1.2 km land border with Denmark on Hans Island. The Maastricht Treaty blocks its EU accession, but the debate remains open.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Canada shares a 1.2 km border with Denmark, and that reopens the debate over its EU accession
There is a 1.2-kilometre land border between Canada and Denmark. It is not a typo or a geographic joke: it is the result of the so-called Whisky War, a diplomatic dispute that was settled in 2022 with the partition of Hans Island. From there, a viral tweet raised the question: if Canada touches Danish soil, could it apply to join the European Union? The short answer is no, but the road to that no is not as simple as it seems.
What is Hans Island and why is there a border between Canada and Denmark?
Hans Island is an uninhabited rocky islet of just over one square kilometre in the Nares Strait, between Greenland (Danish territory) and Ellesmere Island (Canada). For decades, the two countries took turns raising their flag and leaving a bottle of whisky or schnapps as a friendly provocation. In 2022, an agreement was signed dividing the island in two and creating the only land border between Canada and a European country. That is where the 1.2 km figure comes from.
Can Canada join the European Union?
No, at least not under the Maastricht Treaty. Article 49 requires the applicant to be a European state. Canada is not. The treaty itself, in its Article 49, limits accession to countries of the continent. Some point out that Cyprus joined in 2004 despite being geographically in Asia, but it was accepted because of its Greek cultural ties and its membership of the Council of Europe. That precedent does not apply to Canada.
The Greenland problem and the Faroe Islands precedent
Although Denmark is an EU member, Greenland and the Faroe Islands are not part of the Union. Greenland left in 1985 after a referendum, and the Faroes never joined. In other words, the 1.2 km land border does not connect with EU territory, but with a Danish territory that lies outside the EU. The tweet's argument rests on a link that does not legally exist.
The reactions: from scepticism to outright rejection
The debate mixes very different positions. Some argue that the EU already has enough on its plate and that adding Canada would be a mistake. Others recall that, according to a calculation circulating in the thread, 70% of Canadian trade goes to the United States, so the economic case for accession is doubtful. There are also those who point out that Canada has had conflicts with Europe, such as the turbot war or fishing disputes, and would not be a comfortable partner.
What would happen with NATO and the United States?
Canada is a founding member of NATO and its alliance with the United States is structural. Any move towards the EU would clash with that bond. Moreover, the EU has no remit in collective defence: that is NATO's job. The idea of Canada joining the EU would miccionan redefining its foreign policy in a way that neither Ottawa nor Washington has proposed.
The Cyprus precedent and other cases that don't hold up
Comparisons have been drawn with Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004 despite its geographic location. Iceland, which is not in the EU, has also been mentioned, as has Israel, which is not either. The unwritten rule is that the EU admits exceptions when there is a strong cultural and institutional bond, but not for a border of convenience. French Polynesia, for example, is part of France and therefore of the EU, but it is not an independent country.
The context: Trump, Greenland and trade
The debate about Canada and the EU intersects with another issue: the United States' interest in Greenland. Some see in that move pressure on Denmark that could reshape the Arctic. In that scenario, the 1.2 km border between Canada and Denmark would go from anecdote to symbol. But that is speculation, not a done deal.
Conclusion: a real border, an impossible accession
Canada shares 1.2 km of border with Denmark. That is a fact. Whether it could join the EU is another matter. The Maastricht Treaty prevents it, Greenland is not EU territory, and Canada's economic interest looks to Washington, not Brussels. The anecdote is a good one, but it does not change political geography.
What if one day the EU decided to ignore its own treaties and open the door to a country that is not in Europe? The question remains open.
There is a 1.2-kilometre land border between Canada and Denmark. It is not a typo or a geographic joke: it is the result of the so-called Whisky War, a diplomatic dispute that was settled in 2022 with the partition of Hans Island. From there, a viral tweet raised the question: if Canada touches Danish soil, could it apply to join the European Union? The short answer is no, but the road to that no is not as simple as it seems.
What is Hans Island and why is there a border between Canada and Denmark?
Hans Island is an uninhabited rocky islet of just over one square kilometre in the Nares Strait, between Greenland (Danish territory) and Ellesmere Island (Canada). For decades, the two countries took turns raising their flag and leaving a bottle of whisky or schnapps as a friendly provocation. In 2022, an agreement was signed dividing the island in two and creating the only land border between Canada and a European country. That is where the 1.2 km figure comes from.
Can Canada join the European Union?
No, at least not under the Maastricht Treaty. Article 49 requires the applicant to be a European state. Canada is not. The treaty itself, in its Article 49, limits accession to countries of the continent. Some point out that Cyprus joined in 2004 despite being geographically in Asia, but it was accepted because of its Greek cultural ties and its membership of the Council of Europe. That precedent does not apply to Canada.
The Greenland problem and the Faroe Islands precedent
Although Denmark is an EU member, Greenland and the Faroe Islands are not part of the Union. Greenland left in 1985 after a referendum, and the Faroes never joined. In other words, the 1.2 km land border does not connect with EU territory, but with a Danish territory that lies outside the EU. The tweet's argument rests on a link that does not legally exist.
The reactions: from scepticism to outright rejection
The debate mixes very different positions. Some argue that the EU already has enough on its plate and that adding Canada would be a mistake. Others recall that, according to a calculation circulating in the thread, 70% of Canadian trade goes to the United States, so the economic case for accession is doubtful. There are also those who point out that Canada has had conflicts with Europe, such as the turbot war or fishing disputes, and would not be a comfortable partner.
What would happen with NATO and the United States?
Canada is a founding member of NATO and its alliance with the United States is structural. Any move towards the EU would clash with that bond. Moreover, the EU has no remit in collective defence: that is NATO's job. The idea of Canada joining the EU would miccionan redefining its foreign policy in a way that neither Ottawa nor Washington has proposed.
The Cyprus precedent and other cases that don't hold up
Comparisons have been drawn with Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004 despite its geographic location. Iceland, which is not in the EU, has also been mentioned, as has Israel, which is not either. The unwritten rule is that the EU admits exceptions when there is a strong cultural and institutional bond, but not for a border of convenience. French Polynesia, for example, is part of France and therefore of the EU, but it is not an independent country.
The context: Trump, Greenland and trade
The debate about Canada and the EU intersects with another issue: the United States' interest in Greenland. Some see in that move pressure on Denmark that could reshape the Arctic. In that scenario, the 1.2 km border between Canada and Denmark would go from anecdote to symbol. But that is speculation, not a done deal.
Conclusion: a real border, an impossible accession
Canada shares 1.2 km of border with Denmark. That is a fact. Whether it could join the EU is another matter. The Maastricht Treaty prevents it, Greenland is not EU territory, and Canada's economic interest looks to Washington, not Brussels. The anecdote is a good one, but it does not change political geography.
What if one day the EU decided to ignore its own treaties and open the door to a country that is not in Europe? The question remains open.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (78 replies).
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