Mark Carney is considering an unprecedented rapprochement with the EU, aiming to obtain an « associate member » status within the bloc, while Ottawa is engaged in a trade war with Washington. The Canadian Prime Minister will speak before the European Parliament in Strasbourg next Thursday.
The « associate member » status does not currently exist in European law, but the EU might be willing to create special forms of membership, according to anonymous European and Canadian officials. The European Commission has not responded to requests for comment on the matter.
Both parties are discussing strengthening their exchanges in specific sectors: energy, artificial intelligence, defense, and critical minerals. Large-scale joint projects are also on the table, including submarine cables, data centers, cloud infrastructure, and satellite networks. Ottawa also wishes to increase its energy exports to Europe.
The Canadian initiative takes place in a context of historic trade tensions with the United States. High tariffs have been imposed on both sides, with no sign of de-escalation at this stage.
Obtaining such status remains fraught with obstacles. The EU applies strict rules regarding membership, and any modification of its existing arrangements requires a lengthy procedure. However, pressure from the Trump administration could push Brussels toward a more flexible approach.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz himself outlined earlier this year a model of « associate member » initially designed for Ukraine but potentially applicable to Canada. This framework would allow closer ties with the bloc without requiring full membership.
On the diplomatic front, Emmanuel Macron and Mark Carney will make a joint visit next week to Saint Pierre and Miquelon, a French archipelago located about twenty kilometers off the Canadian Atlantic coast. Paris announced on Sunday that this visit aims to demonstrate the strength of Franco-Canadian ties amid tensions with Donald Trump.
The American president posted on Monday on his Truth Social account an image showing a map of North America with the American flag placed over several territories, including Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Guadeloupe, Martinique, as well as Iceland, Greenland, Mexico, Canada, and much of Central America and the Caribbean.
The Élysée Palace indicated that the visit will highlight the common values of the two countries: « freedom, democracy, rule of law, and respect for state sovereignty. » This will be the first time a Canadian Prime Minister visits the archipelago. The last French head of state to visit was François Hollande in 2014.
