Canadian television and public radio (CBC/Radio-Canada) has become a full member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), a status that, among other benefits, opens up the possibility for Canada to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in the future.
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26/06/2026
by
Lusa
Dand according to a press release sent to the Lusa agency, the decision was adopted by vote during the 96th General Assembly of the EBU, held in Prague (Czech Republic), reinforcing cooperation between the Canadian public operator and the main global alliance of public service media.
Although full membership does not represent an automatic entry into the competition, the new status makes CBC/Radio-Canada eligible to apply for participation in Eurovision, whose acceptance remains dependent on the European Broadcasting Union rules and the invitation of the event organisers.
CBC/Radio-Canada’s CEO and executive director, Marie-Philippe Bouchard, considered that membership represents “a new chapter” in the relationship between the Canadian body and the EBU.
“ This milestone will deepen our cooperation at a time when the collective impact of public service media is essential. It will benefit citizens on both sides of the Atlantic, helping to combat misinformation and support cultural expression,” he said.
She also announced that CBC/Radio-Canada will participate fully in Eurovision News Exchange, an international platform for exchanging news content from the EBU.
“ This will allow more news and Canadian perspectives to reach the European public, while providing wider international coverage for Canadians,” he said.
The decision marks the end of more than seven decades of participation of CBC/Radio-Canada as an associate member, a statute that has held since 1950, and will allow the Canadian station to fully integrate the structures of editorial, technological and content sharing of the EBU.
“The CBC/Radio-Canada has been part of the UER family since our founding in 1950. As one of the world’s leading public broadcasters, it has already contributed significantly to our Union, helping us to define and defend the standards of public service journalism that today are more important than ever,” said UER Director-General Noel Curran.
According to the responsible, full membership will allow for further cooperation in areas such as accountability of digital platforms, combating misinformation, strengthening confidence in news and resilience of public media.
“Canada’s voice in this community makes us stronger,” he added.
The promotion of CBC/Radio-Canada was possible after the adoption of a revision of the EBU Statutes, which now allowed the accession of public broadcasters from countries outside Europe with a public service media system aligned with the fundamental principles of the Council of Europe and with formal observer status with that organisation.
According to the EBU, Canada meets both criteria.
Founded in 1936, CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's national public operator, producing content in English, French and eight indigenous languages, as well as providing international programming in several other languages through Radio Canada International.
With the new status, the Canadian station has access to the exclusive networks of the UER for research journalism, information verification, digital innovation, technological sharing, as well as Eurovision News Exchange and Euroradio Music Exchange services.
The European Broadcasting Union currently represents 115 public service media organizations in 57 countries, as well as 28 associated members distributed across other regions of the world.