The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, told the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, on Wednesday that she wants to open the door for his country to become the EU’s first associate member. The overture comes as Trump’s tariffs and repeated talk of making Canada the 51st state have pushed Ottawa to seek closer economic and security ties with Europe. Carney has called for a “unique alliance” with the EU as Canada seeks to reduce its heavy dependence on US trade.
Carney received a standing ovation from European lawmakers. He is due to address the European parliament on Thursday. Von der Leyen said Canada and the EU would build on their existing free trade agreement, known as Ceta, with a broader “alliance for the future” aimed at creating “a common prosperity and economic security space”.
The commission president described that closer relationship as rooted not just in trade but in shared democratic values. That democracies have the freedom to choose with whom to work.” Von der Leyen said the expanded partnership would cover advanced manufacturing, technology, defence production, the Arctic, energy, critical minerals, batteries, AI, quantum computing, cybersecurity and economic security.
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