Key facts
- Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney proposed deeper cooperation with the EU.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen invited Canada to become the EU's first associate member.
- Carney emphasized cooperation on energy, economic security, critical materials, tech, AI, and defense.
- Donald Trump threatened to impose heavy tariffs and viewed the proposal as a hostile act.
- Canada and the EU feel squeezed by the US and China.
- Any deal requires approval from all 27 EU member states.
Canada is exploring a closer relationship with the European Union, with Prime Minister Mark Carney proposing deeper cooperation and potentially associate membership. The move comes as both Canada and the EU feel increasingly pressured by global superpowers like the US and China, as well as by large technology companies.
Carney's proposal, made in a speech to the European Parliament, was met with warm reception and applause. He suggested that enhanced collaboration on energy, economic security, critical materials, technology, AI innovation, and defense would help safeguard all involved nations. The idea of associate membership, Carney stressed, is not about forming a third superpower or creating a bloc against any specific country, but rather about like-minded nations banding together to create a new form of multilateral global governance in a turbulent world.
However, the path to such an agreement is fraught with challenges. The EU constitution technically rules out associate membership for countries geographically outside Europe. Furthermore, any deal would require unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states, a process that could be lengthy and complicated by potential conflicts of interest, such as existing steel tariffs. Some EU nations, like France, are wary of granting non-members overly favorable deals, fearing it could embolden eurosceptic movements.
Across the Atlantic, the proposal has drawn sharp criticism from US President Donald Trump, who dismissed the idea and threatened significant tariffs, even suggesting it could be viewed as a hostile act. Both Canada and the EU have expressed concerns about the US's use of trade tariffs and its reliability as a security and defense partner, prompting them to seek diversification of relationships. Other allies, such as Japan and South Korea, are also reportedly showing interest in closer ties with the EU.