Key facts
- The European Parliament will open an office in Canada.
- The office will be located in Ottawa.
- Parliament President Roberta Metsola announced the initiative.
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to attend the EU Parliament's Strasbourg headquarters.
- The new office aims to facilitate parliamentary exchanges and engagement on strategic issues.
The European Parliament is set to open a new office in Canada, with representatives working in an "antenna office" alongside the existing EU delegation in Ottawa. The initiative, announced by Parliament President Roberta Metsola, aims to strengthen parliamentary exchanges and engagement on issues of strategic importance to both the European Union and Canada. This move comes shortly before Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is due to attend the State of the Union speech and address the Parliament in Strasbourg. The establishment of the office is intended to foster deeper ties and parliamentary cooperation across the Atlantic, with a regional remit extending to the Arctic. The European Parliament already maintains offices in several non-EU countries, including the US, UK, and Ethiopia.